BX  8731    .P6  1861 

Pond,   Enoch,  1791-1882. 

Swedenborgianism  examined 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/swedenborgtanismOOpond 


SWEDENBORGIANISM 


EXAMINED. 


By  ENOCH  POND,  D.  D. 

Professor  in  the  Theological  Seminaky,  Bangor,  Me. 


REVISED  EDITION. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 

28   CORNHILL  BOSTON. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by  the 

AMERICAN  TBACT  SOCIETY, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


THEOLOGICAL 
PREFACE. 


The  first  edition  of  this  work  was  published  in  the  year 
184G.  As  it  has  long  been  out  of  print,  and  as  applica- 
tions have  frequently  been  made  for  it  which  could  not 
be  answered,  it  has  been  thought  expedient  to  issue  a 
second  edition.  In  preparing  it  for  the  press,  the  whole 
has  been  subjected  to  a  thorough  revision.  Some  things 
have  been  added,  but  more  suppressed ;  and  especially 
those  parts  which  were  of  a  somewhat  indelicate  charac- 
ter. The  works  of  Swedenborg  contain  many  things 
which  are  indelicate,  — grossly  so,  —  things  which  ought 
never  to  have  been  written,  much  less  translated.  The 
worst  of  these  passages  were  omitted  in  my  first  edition, 
and  more  would  have  been,  but  that,  as  I  had  undertaken 
to  review  Swedenborg,  I  felt  bound  to  exhibit  him  in 
something  like  his  true  character.  But  from  the  present 
edition  everything  is  excluded  which  will  be  likely,  on 
the  ground  above  indicated,  to  give  offense. 

When  I  entered  upon  the  examination  of  Swedenbor- 
gianism,  fourteen  years  ago,  great  efforts  were  being  made 
by  Prof.  Bush  and  others,  to  disseminate  the  doctrine, 
and  give  it  currency  with  the  people.  Public  lectures 
were  delivered  in  our  cities  and  villages,  and  select  por- 


iv 


SWEDENB0HGIAX1SM. 


tions  of  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  neatly  printed  and 
done  up,  and  accompanied  with  prefatory  and  explana- 
tory remarks,  were  industriously  circulated.  In  these 
circumstances  I  felt  —  nor  was  I  alone  in  the  impression  — 
that  something  should  be  done.  Swedenborg  must  be 
thoroughly  reviewed  and  canvassed.  A  little  tract  —  an 
article  of  a  few  pages  —  a  series  of  short  newspaper  par- 
agraphs, would  be  to  no  purpose.  Some  one  must  go 
thoroughly  into  the  subject,  plough  it  up  from  the  bottom, 
and  make  a  full  exposition  of  it.  Then  the  community 
would  be  in  a  situation  to  understand  it ;  and  a  like  labor 
would  not  be  called  for  in  time  to  come. 

From  those  who  take  exceptions  to  the  peculiarities  of 
Swedenborg,  the  most  common  reply  has  been  :  "  You  are 
not  in  a  condition  to  judge  of  him ;  you  do  not  under- 
stand him  ;  you  have  not  read  his  works."  To  obviate 
an  objection  like  this,  and  at  the  same  time  to  qualify 
myself  for  the  undertaking  I  had  proposed,  I  got  together 
first  of  all,  the  religious  publications  of  Swedenborg, 
amounting  to  more  than  thirty  volumes,  and  the  works 
of  his  principal  disciples  and  advocates,  amounting  to 
forty  volumes  more,  and  gave  them  an  attentive  perusal. 
Some  of  them  were  read  more  than  once,  and  notes  were 
taken  of  them.  Meanwhile,  I  was  not  able  to  find  a  sin- 
gle volume  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  There  was 
here  and  there  a  brief  article  in  some  periodical,  or  a 
few  numbers  in  the  columns  of  a  newspaper  ;  but  a  book, 
a  volume,  in  opposition  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg,  was 
not  to  be  found.  Several  works  of  this  kind  had  been 
published  years  before  in  England,  but  they  had  scarcely 


PREFACE. 


V 


fuund  their  way  to  this  country,  and  were  at  that  time 
unknown.  Nor,  with  the  exception  of  a  little  volume  by 
the  late  Dr.  Woods  of  Andover,  am  I  aware  that  any- 
thing of  importance  in  opposition  to  Swedenborg  has 
been  published  since. 

The  following  work  was  not  regarded  at  the  first,  nor 
should  it  be  now,  as  of  strictly  a  controversial  character. 
My  purpose  has  been  rather  to  exhibit  Swedenborg,  than 
to  controvert  him.  If  the  former  of  these  objects  can  be 
well  accomplished,  the  latter,  I  have  supposed,  would  be 
scarcely  necessary. 

While  the  pages  which  follow  are  open  to  the  exami- 
nation of  all,  it  is  but  just  to  say  that  they  have  been 
prepared  more  especially  for  evangelical  Christians.  It 
will  be  no  objection  to  Swedenborg,  in  the  mind  of  a 
Unitarian,  that  he  discards  the  doctrines  of  the  atonement, 
and  of  justification  by  faith ;  while  to  the  evangelical  be- 
liever—  the  Christian  after  the  pattern  of  Paul,  —  no 
objection  could  be  more  decisive. 

Soon  after  the  first  edition  of  this  work  was  published, 
it  was  reviewed,  in  the  New  Jerusalem  Magazine,  by 
Thcophilus  Parsons,  Esq.,  of  Boston.  It  was  also  re- 
viewed, in  separate  pamphlets,  by  Ilev.  William  B.  Hay- 
den,  and  N.  F.  Cabell,  Esq.,  of  Virginia.  It  was  at- 
tacked, in  the  New  York  Tribune,  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Bar- 
rett, and  in  England  by  Mr.  J.  J.  G.  Wilkinson.  It 
will  be  seen  that  it  has  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention 
in  the  Swedenborgian  community,  and  has  drawn  out 
numerous  and  powerful  opponents,  and  yet  they  all  pro- 
fess to  regard  it  as  a  very  contemptible  affair,  —  one  not 


VI 


FEEF  ACE. 


entitled,  on  its  own  account,  to  the  least  consideration. 
I  ought,  however,  to  make  one  honorable  exception. 
When  my  first  edition  was  issued,  there  was  a  Sweden- 
borgian  in  the  country,  —  the  most  learned,  candid  and 
devoted  of  them  all,  —  I  refer,  of  course,  to  the  late 
Prof.  Bush, — who  had  the  magnanimity  to  acknowledge 
that  he  regarded  it  as  "  the  most  formidable  attack  that 
had  ever  been  made  upon  Swedenborgianism  ;  that  it 
was  written,  with  some  exceptions,  in  a  good  spirit ;  and 
that  it  could  not  fail  to  produce  a  very  decided  effect 
upon  the  Christian  community." 

Unless  I  am  entirely  deceived,  the  following  pages 
have  been  written,  not  in  a  spirit  of  hatred  or  envy,  but 
of  love.  I  have  aspersed  no  one's  character,  I  have  im- 
peached no  one's  motives ;  I  have  assailed  no  one,  living 
or  dead,  with  harsh  and  bitter  words.  If  I  have  been 
under  the  necessity  of  publishing  some  unpleasant  things, 
they  are  such  as  have  grown  directly  out  of  the  subject, 
and,  of  course,  the  fault  is  not  mine.  My  single  object 
has  been  to  promote  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness ; 
and  in  aiming  at  this,  I  have  endeavored  to  treat  all 
concerned  kindly  and  fairly. 

The  whole  has  been  written  under  a  strong  sense  of 
duty,  and  with  continual  prayer  for  the  divine  direction 
and  blessing,  and  I  now  commend  it  to  the  providence 
and  grace  of  God ;  above  all  things  desiring,  whatever 
the  result  may  be  in  regard  to  me  personally,  that  it  may 
tend  to  the  furtherance  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  glory  of 
his  name. 

Bangor,  July  10,  1860. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

LIFE  OF  SWEDENBORG. 

His  birth  and  education  —  travels  —  office  under  govern- 
ment —  the  honors  which  were  conferred  upon  him.  Disap- 
pointed in  love.  His  philosophical  works.  Severe  sickness, 
attended  with  delirium.  Commencement  of  his  supposed  in- 
tercourse with  the  spiritual  world.  Theological  works.  His 
description  of  the  planets  and  their  inhabitants.  Wrought 
no  miracles.  His  personal  appearance,  and  private  habits  — 
his  last  sickness  and  death.       ------  13 

CHAPTER  n. 

GENERAL  STATEMENT  OF  THE    DOCTRINES  OF  SWEDENBORG. 

Creed  of  the  New  Church.    Explanations  of  the  creed. 
Additional  statements.      -      -      -      -       .       -      -  36 


CHAPTER  III. 

OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OF  SWEDENBORG. 

Objection  £.  Pretends  to  supersede  the  gospel  dispensation. 
This  claim  disproved.  -      _  48 

Objection  II.  H;s  revelations  not  sufficiently  attested.  His 


viii 


CONTEXTS. 


statements  not  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  testimony.  His 
revelations  not  attested  by  miracles.       ....  53 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Objection  III.  Swedenborg's  treatment  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures. Rejects  almost  half  the  Bible  as  having  no  divine 
authority.  Renders  the  remainder  of  little  value,  by  mysti- 
cal interpretation.  Specimens  of  such  interpretation.  Some 
of  them  senseless  and  ridiculous  —  others  inconsistent  and 
self-contradictory.  Speaks  reproachfully  of  Scripture,  in  its 
obvious  sense  —  directly  and  unscrupulously  contradicts  it.  61 

CHAPTER  V. 

Objection  IV.  Swedenborg  discards  much  important  truth, 
and  inculcates  essential  error  in  doctrine.  Rejects  the  Trin 
ity  —  the  personality  and  official  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  — 
the  existence  of  angels,  as  a  distinct  order  of  beings  —  and 
the  human  soul  of  the  Saviour.  Represents  Christ,  while  on 
earth,  as  subject  to  great  moral  impurities  and  imperfections. 
Denies  the  connection  between  our  sin,  and  that  of  our  first 
parents  —  the  doctrines  of  predestination  —  of  the  atonement 

—  of  instantaneous  regeneration  —  of  justification  by  faith  — 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  body  —  of  the  end  of  the  world  — 
and  a  general  judgment.    Believed  in  an  intermediate  state.  76 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Objection  V.  Swedenborg's  misrepresentations  of  the  doc- 
trines of  others.  Instances  cited.  God  would  not  inspire 
him  to  make  such  misrepresentations.  94 

Objection  VI.    Speaks  reproachfully  of  the  church  of  God 

—  of  the  Israelitish  church  —  of  the  Christian  church.  The 
Christian  church  judged  and  destroyed  almost  a  hundred 
years  ago.  -      -      -      -      -  102 


COX  TENTS. 


ix 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Objection  VII.  Swedenborg's  representations  respecting 
good  men  —  King  David — the  Apostle  Paul  —  Luther  — 
Melancthon  —  Calvin  —  Members  of  the  Synod  of  Dort  — Mo- 
ravians.      -       .       -       -       -       -       -       -  -111 

Objection  VIII.  His  contradiction  of  the  facts  of  history, 
sacred  and  profane.  -       -       -       -  -120 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Objection  IX.  Swedenborg's  contradictions  to  the  facts  of 
science.  Represents  Saturn  as  the  most  distant  planet  from 
the  sun  —  earth,  air  and  water  as  the  elements  from  which  all 
things  consist  —  love  as  the  cause  of  the  redness  of  blood, 
and  of  animal  heat —  the  blood  as  nourished  by  odors  in  the 
lungs.  Denies  that  God  is  the  Creator  of  all  tilings  ;  a  vast 
number  of  animals,  vegetables  and  minerals  having  originat- 
ed from  hell.  The  first  man  had  no  external  respiration  or 
speech.  Evil  spirits  the  cause  of  diseases.  Origin  of  idola- 
try, and  of  the  hieroglyphics.    Mistakes  in  mental  science.  126 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Objection  X.  Swedenborg's  absurdities  and  self-contra- 
dictions. Inconsistencies  in  relation  to  free-agency,  and  the 
introduction  of  sin.  Numerous  other  instances  of  self-con- 
tradiction. ------  143 

CHAPTER  X. 

Objection  XI.  Swedenborg's  standard  of  piety,  and  views 
of  the  Christian  life.  Dispenses  with  the  appropriate  work 
of  the  Spirit  —  represents  it  as  not  difficult  to  get  to  heaven 
—  recommends  dancing,  card-playing,  and  other  diversions. 
The  manner  in  which  his  followers  carry  out  his  principles. 

Objection  XII.    Immoral  tendency  of  some  of  Sweden- 


X 


CONTENTS. 


borg's  writings.  Polygamy  no  sin  among  Mabommedans  and 
beathens.  Causes  sufficient  to  justify  the  taking  of  a  concu- 
bine. Circumstances  in  which  the  keeping  of  a  mistress  is 
permitted  and  recommended.       -       -       -       -       -  157 

CHAPTER  XL 

Objection  XIII.  Swedenborg's  representations  of  heaven 
and  hell,  and  of  the  spiritual  world.  Each  of  the  societies  of 
heaven  in  the  human  form,  and  the  heavens  collectively  in 
the  same  form  —  a  Grand  Man.  Things  existing  in  heaven, 
and  things  done  there.  The  wonders  of  the  Word  in  heaven. 
Conjugial  love  a  subject  of  vast  interest  in  heaven.  Sweden- 
borg's heavens  compared  with  Mohammed's.  The  societies 
of  hell  in  something  like  the  human  form,  and  the  hells  in 
general  in  the  same  form  —  a  monster  devil.  The  infernals 
compelled  to  labor — permitted  to  have  harlots.  The  odors  of 
hell  dreadful,  but  delightful  to  those  who  dwell  in  them.  The 
hells  of  different  characters  described.  The  intermediate  or 
spiritual  world  described.  Specimens  of  Swedenborg's  "mem- 
orable relations."       -------  169 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Objection  XIV.  Swedenborg's  tests  of  the  truth  of  his 
doctrines,  not  successfully  applied,  aud  never  will  be.  No 
branch  of  the  New  Church  in  the  interior  of  Africa.  The 
most  ancient  Word,  and  a  people  regulating  their  worship  by 
it,  not  found  in  Tartary.  -       -  107 

Objection  XV.  The  doctrines  of  Swedenborg  terminate  in 
materialism  and  pantheism.        -----  204 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

SWEDENBORG'S  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  SUBSEQUENT  TO  HIS  SUP- 
POSED ILLUMINATION. 

Not  a  willful  impostor,  but  a  deluded  monomaniac.  Prov- 


CONTENTS. 


XI 


ed  by  his  own  account  of  his  change,  and  of  his  experience 
afterwards  —  from  his  appearance  and  habits  in  private  — 
and  from  testimony  of  cotemporaries.  Other  cases  of  mental 
aberration  resembling  his.  Nicolai  of  Berlin,  Mrs.  KaufFe, 
&c.  A  law  of  spectral  appearances  stated  and  illustrated  — 
shown  to  apply  to  the  specters  of  Swedenborg.        -       -  207 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

CONCLUDING  OBSERVATIONS. 

The  objection  of  unfair  treatment,  and  of  misrepresenta- 
tion considered.  Swedenborgianism  not  Christianity.  Chris- 
tian fellowship  can  not  consistently  be  extended  to  the  New 
Church.  Should  judge  charitably  of  individual  members. 
Why  sensible  people,  in  some  instances,  become  Swedenbor- 
gians.    Value  of  the  Bible.        -----  239 


SWEDENBOEGIANISM. 


CHAPTER  L 

LIFE  OF  SWEDENBORG. 

Emanuel  Swedburg  was  bom  at  Stockholm, 
January  19,  1688.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  his  fa- 
ther, who  was  a  Swedish  bishop,  and  a  man  of  learn- 
ing and  celebrity  in  his  time.  The  son  was  early  the 
subject  of  many  serious  thoughts  and  exercises,  and 
seems  to  have  been  deeply  interested  in  religion, 
from  his  youth.  "My  thoughts,"  says  he,  "were 
constantly  occupied  in  reflecting  upon  God  and  sal- 
vation, and  on  the  spiritual  affections  of  men."  He 
saw  many  of  the  clergy  at  his  father's  house,  with 
whom  he  used  to  converse  respecting  faith,  and  char- 
ity, and  justification  by  faith,  and  the  way  of  salva- 
tion by  Christ. 

Great  care  seems  to  have  been  bestowed  upon  the 
early  training  and  instruction  of  young  Swedeuborg. 
His  university  education  was  completed  at  Upsal, 
where  he  distinguished  himself  by  his  attainments 
in  philosophy,  mathematics,  natural  history,  chemis- 


14 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


try,  and  anatomy,  together  with  the  ancient  and 
modern  languages.  At  this  period  of  life,  he  also 
gave  attention  to  poetry.  Said  one  of  his  old 
friends,  "  I  have  now  in  my  possession  some  remains 
of  his  Latin  poetry,  which  Ovid  would  not  be  asham- 
ed to  own."  That  Swedburg  possessed  a  most 
fruitful  imagination  which,  duly  cultivated,  might 
have  rendered  him  a  poet  of  no  ordinary  distinction, 
his  theological  writings  abundantly  declare. 

In  the  early  part  of  his  life,  Swedburg  was  an 
almost  continual  traveler.  He  commenced  his  for- 
eign excursions  in  the  year  1710  ;  going  first  to  Eng- 
land, and  thence  to  Holland,  France,  and  Germany, 
and  returning  to  his  own  country  in  1714.  About 
this  time,  he  was  introduced  to  Charles  XII,  king 
of  Sweden,  and  enjoyed,  to  a  high  degree,  the  confi- 
dence and  favor  of  that  distinguished  monarch.  In 
1716,  he  was  appointed  Assessor  of  the  Metallic  Col- 
lege, which  office  he  retained  more  than  thirty  years, 
and  the  income  of  which  he  enjoyed  till  his  death. 

In  1718,  he  gave  proof  of  remarkable  mechanical 
ingenuity,  in  the  invention  of  machines,  by  means 
of  which  a  considerable  naval  armament  was  trans- 
ported over  the  mountains  which  separate  Sweden 
from  Norway  —  a  distance  of  about  fourteen  Eng- 
lish miles.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  king  was  en- 
abled to  bring  his  heavy  artillery  under  the  very 
walls  of  Fredericshall.  It  was  at  the  siege  of  Fred- 
ericshall  that  Charles  XII  lost  his  life,  at  the  early 
age  of  thirty-six. 


SWEDENBORG  ENNOBLED. 


15 


He  was  succeeded  by  his  sister,  queen  Ulrica  Ele- 
onora.  As  a  mark  of  her  royal  favor,  Swedburg 
was  ennobled  the  following  year,  and  thenceforth 
took  the  name  of  Swedenborg.  From  this  time  he 
was  entitled  to  a  seat  with  the  nobles,  in  the  trien- 
nial assemblies  of  the  States  of  the  realm. 

From  1719  to  1722,  Swedenborg  spent  much  of 
his  time  in  foreign  countries,  conversing  with  learn- 
ed men,  examining  the  principal  mines  and  smelting 
establishments,  and  endeavoring  to  qualify  himself 
for  the  important  office  which  he  held.  He  was  par- 
ticularly noticed,  at  this  period,  by  the  Duke  of 
Brunswick,  who  did  much  to  aid  him  in  his  travels, 
and  afterwards  published,  at  his  own  expense,  sever- 
al of  Swedenborg's  philosophical  works. 

In  the  year  1724,  he  was  elected  professor  of 
mathematics  in  the  University  of  Upsal ;  but  he 
thought  it  not  proper  to  accept  the  appointment. 
He  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Royal  Academy  of 
Sciences  at  Stockholm,  in  1729 ;  and  a  correspond- 
ing member  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  St.  Pe- 
tersburg, in  1734.  In  1738,  he  took  a  journey  into 
Italy,  and  resided  a  year  in  Venice  and  at  Rome. 

At  a  much  earlier  period  in  the  life  of  Sweden- 
borg—  probably  between  the  years  1716  and  1718, 
—  an  incident  occurred  which  it  may  be  proper  to 
notice,  as  the  impression  of  it  seems  never  to  have 
been  lost  from  his  heart.  He  was  residing  in  the 
family  of  his  friend  Polhem,  Counsellor  of  Com- 
merce, and  engaged  with  him  in  mathematical  stud- 


it; 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


ies  and  pursuits.  While  here,  to  use  the  language 
of  one  of  his  biographers,  "his  heart  glowed  with 
love  to  the  second  daughter  of  Polhem,"  a  lady  much 
younger  than  himself.  The  father  favored  the 
match,  but  the  daughter  was  irreconcilably  averse  to 
it.  Hoping  that,  as  she  grew  older,  her  feelings 
might  change,  Polhem  entered  into  a  written  agree- 
ment with  Swedenborg  that,  at  some  future  day, 
she  should  be  his.  At  this  the  young  lady  was  so 
much  distressed,  that  her  brother,  watching  the  op- 
portunity, secretly  got  possession  of  the  paper,  and 
destroyed  it.  Swedenborg,  in  his  grief,  applied  to 
the  father,  and  entreated  that  the  contract  might  be 
renewed.  But  perceiving  how  much  it  distressed 
the  object  of  his  affection,  he  consented,  at  length, 
to  give  up  his  claim.  He  soon  departed  from  the 
house,  resolved  that  he  would  make  no  more  over- 
tures of  marriage  while  he  lived ;  a  resolution  which 
he  steadfastly  fulfilled. 

It  was  in  the  year  1709,  at  the  early  age  of  twenty- 
one,  that  Swedenborg  commenced  his  career  as 
an  author.  It  is  not  necessary  to  give  a  complete 
list  of  his  publications  during  the  next  thirty-five 
years,  Suflice  it  to  say,  that  they  followed  each 
other  in  quick  succession,  and  were  chiefly  on  math- 
ematical and  philosophical  subjects.  Not  a  few  of 
them  related  to  metallurgy  and  mineralogy  —  sub- 
jects with  which  his  office  made  it  necessary  that  he 
should  be  familiar.  His  philosophical  works,  (or  so 
many  of  them  as  had  then  been  prepared)  were  pub- 


PHILOSOPHICAL  WORKS. 


17 


lished  in  Germany,  in  three  volumes  folio,  in  17o4. 
Subsequent  to  this,  for  several  years,  Swedenborg 
gave  much  attention  to  Anatomy  and  Physiology. 
In  1740,  he  published  his  "Economy  of  the  Animal 
Kingdom  ; "  in  which  he  treats  of  the  blood,  the  ar- 
teries, the  veins,  the  heart,  the  motion  of  the  brain, 
the  cortical  substance,  and  the  human  soul.  Four 
years  later,  he  published  another  great  work,  enti- 
tled "The  Animal  Kingdom."  This  treats  of  the 
viscera  of  the  chest  and  the  abdomen,  and  of  the  dif- 
ferent organs  of  sense.  Swedenborg  was  not  him- 
self  a  surgeon  or  dissector.  His  knowledge  of  anat- 
omy was  derived  chiefly  from  the  writings  and  ex- 
periments of  others. 

His  great  object,  in  pursuing  inquiries  of  tins  na- 
ture, was  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  human  soul, 
and  of  its  mysterious,  inscrutable  connection  with 
the  body.  By  the  most  careful  research,  he  was 
hoping  to  discover  the  hidden  bond,  which  linked 
the  material  to  the  immaterial,  the  earthly  to  the 
spiritual;  or  at  least,  that  he  might  acquaint  him- 
self with  the  properties  of  the  latter,  by  means  of  its 
assumed  correspondence  with  the  former.  But  it 
will  be  safest  to  hear  him  on  this  interesting  subject. 
In  the  introduction  to  the  "Animal  Kingdom,"  he 
says:  "To  accomplish  this  end,"  (the  discovery  of 
the  soul)  "  I  enter  the  circus,  designing  to  consider 
and  thoroughly  to  examine  that  whole  world  or  mi- 
crocosm which  the  soul  inhabits ;  since  I  am  per- 
suaded she  cannot  be  sought  for  anywhere  but  in 
2 


18 


SWEDEXB0RG1AX1SM  EXAMINED. 


her  own  kingdom.  For  tell  rne,  where  else  is  she  to 
be  found,  but  in  that  system  to  which  she  is  ad-joined 
and  in-joined,  in  which  she  is  represented,  and 
every  moment  exhibits  herself  for  contemplation? 
The  body  is  her  image,  resemblance,  and  type.  She 
herself  is  the  model,  the  idea,  the  head,  that  is  the 
soul,  of  her  body ;  and  thus  is  she  represented  in  her 
body,  as  in  a  mirror.  For  this  reason,  I  am  induced 
to  examine  attentively  the  whole  anatomy  of  her 
body,  from  the  heel  to  the  head,  and  from  part  to 
part;  and  that  I  may  come  nearer  to  my  subject,  I 
have  determined  to  explore  the  brain  itself,  where 
the  soul  has  arranged  her  first  organs.  Next,  I 
shall  examine  the  fibres,  with  the  rest  of  the  purer 
organical  forms,  and  the  forces  and  modes  thence 
resulting. 

"But  whereas  it  is  not  posssible  to  make  a  leap 
from  the  organical,  physical,  and  material  immedi- 
ately to  the  soul,  of  which  neither  matter,  nor  any 
of  the  adjuncts  of  matter,  are  predicable;  therefore 
it  was  necessary  for  me  to  prepare  new  ways  by 
which  I  might  be  led  to  her,  and  might  gain  access 
to  her  palace.  In  other  words,  it  was  necessary, 
with  the  most  intense  application  of  mind,  to  unfold, 
extricate,  and  bring  to  light  some  new  doctrines  for 
my  guidance,  viz :  the  doctrines  of  forms,  of  orders 
and  degrees ;  of  series  and  society ;  of  communica- 
tions and  influxes;  of  correspondences,  representa- 
tions, and  modifications  ;  all  which  you  will  see  col- 
lected into  one  treatise"  referring  to  a  projected 


PHILOSOPHICAL  WO  RK  f 


19 


treatise,  which  seems  never  to  have  been  written. 
"  When  this  shall  be  accomplished,"  the  writer  goes 
on  to  say,  "I  am  then  admitted,  as  it  were,  by  com- 
mon consent,  to  the  soul ;  who,  sitting  like  a  queen 
in  her  throne  of  state,  the  body,  dispenses  laws  and 
governs  all  things,  by  her  good  pleasure,  but  yet  by 
order  and  by  truth.  This  will  be  the  crown  of  my 
toils,  when  I  shall  have  completed  my  course  in 
this  most  spacious  arena."  Further  on  in  his  Intro- 
duction, Swedenborg  says,  "I  have  determined  not 
to  desist  from  my  task,  until  I  have  explored  the 
whole  animal  kingdom,  even  to  the  soul.  And  my 
hope  is,  if  I  bend  my  course  continually  inwards, 
that  I  shall  be  enabled,  through  the  divine  favor,  to 
open  all  the  doors  which  lead  to  her  presence,  and 
at  length  to  be  admitted  to  the  view  and  contempla- 
tion of  herself." 

I  have  before  said  that  the  "Animal  Kingdom" 
(from  the  Introduction  to  which,  the  foregoing  pas- 
sages are  taken)  was  published  in  1744.  While  the 
thoughts  of  the  author  were  occupied  in  the  manner 
here  indicated  —  while,  "  with  the  most  intense  ap- 
plication of  mind,"  he  was  endeavoring  to  reach  and 
investigate  the  soul,  through  the  medium  of  the 
body,  he  was  arrested  in  the  city  of  London,  by  a 
severe  attack  of  fever,  attended  with  delirium.  The 
fact  of  this  sickness  has  been  called  in  question  ;  but 
not,  as  it  seems  to  me,  with  sufficient  reason.  Mr. 
Wesley  speaks  of  it  repeatedly  and  expressly,  but  I 
do  not  now  rely  on  his  testimony.    The  celebrated 


20 


SWEDEXBOROIANISM  EXAMIXEI). 


Dr.  Hartley  was  a  cotemporary  of  Swcdenborg,  Lis 
intimate  personal  friend,  and  one  of  his  earliest  fol- 
lowers. He  also  speaks  of  Swedcnborg's  sickness 
and  delirium,  and  justly  complains  that  what  he  said 
and  did  in  those  circumstances  should  be  reported  to 
his  disadvantage.*  The  probability  is,  that  this 
sickness  occurred  near  the  close  of  the  year  1744,  or 
early  in  the  following  year. 

In  the  spring  of  1745,  an  event  took  place,  which 
was  regai-ded  by  Swedenborg  (and  is  so  regarded  by 
all  his  followers)  as  the  most  important  in  his  whole 
life.  He  professed  to  have  had  his  spiritual  senses 
opened,  so  that  he  could  look  directly  into  the  in- 
visible world,  and  converse  with  departed  souls,  an- 
gels and  demons,  as  freely  as  with  men  here  on  the 
earth.  But  the  account  must  be  given  in  his  own 
words.  "I  have  been  called  to  a  holy  office,  by  the 
Lord  himself,  who  most  graciously  manifested  him- 
self in  person  to  me,  his  servant,  when  he  opened 
my  sight  to  the  view  of  the  spiritual  world,  and 
granted  me  the  privilege  of  conversing  with  spirits 
and  angels." f  Again:  "I  can  sacredly  and  solemn- 
ly declare,  that  the  Lord  himself,  has  been  seen  of 
me,  and  that  he  has  sent  me  to  do  what  I  do  ;  and 
for  such  purpose,  he  has  opened  the  interior  part  of 
my  soul,  which  is  my  spirit,  so  that  I  can  see  what 

*  "  He  was  seized  with  a  fever,  attended  with  a  delirium," 
etc.    In  Noble's  Appeal,  p.  255. 
t  Letter  to  Dr.  Hartley. 


ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  FIRST  VISION.  21 

is  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  those  that  are  therein ; 
and  this  privilege  has  now  been  continued  to  me  for 
twenty-two  years."*  To  another  friend,  who  in- 
quired how  and  when  it  was,  that  he  was  enabled  to 
see  what  was  done  in  heaven  and  hell,  he  gave  the 
following  answer.  "  I  was  in  London,  and  one  day 
dined  rather  late  by  myself,  at  a  boarding  house, 
where  I  kept  a  room  in  which,  at  ijleasure,  I  could 
prosecute  the  study  of  the  natural  sciences.  I  was 
hungry,  and  ate  with  great  appetite.  At  the  end  of 
the  meal,  I  remarked  that  a  vapor,  as  it  were,  cloud- 
ed my  sight,  and  the  walls  of  my  chamber  appeared 
covered  with  frightful  creeping  things,  such  as  ser- 
pents, toads  and  the  like.  I  was  filled  with  aston- 
ishment, but  retained  the  full  use  of  my  perception 
and  thoughts.  The  darkness  attained  its  height, 
and  soon  passed  away.  I  then  perceived  a  man  sit- 
ting in  the  corner  of  my  chamber.  As  I  thought 
myself  entirely  alone,  I  was  greatly  terrified ;  when 
he  spoke  and  said,  'Eat  not  so  much.'  The  cloud 
once  more  came  over  my  sight,  and  when  it  passed 
away,  I  found  myself  alone  in  the  chamber.  This 
unexpected  event  hastened  my  return  home.  I  did 
not  mention  the  subject  to  the  peojde  of  the  house, 
but  reflected  upon  it  much,  and  believed  it  to  have 
been  the  effect  of  accidental  causes,  or  to  have  arisen 
from  my  physical  state,  at  the  time.  I  went  home ; 
but  in  the  following  night,  the  same  man  appeared 


*  Letter  to  Dr.  Oetenger. 


22 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


to  me  again.  He  said,  '  I  am  God,  the  Lord,  the 
Creator  and  Redeemer  of  the  world.  I  have  chosen 
thee  to  lay  before  men  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  ho- 
ly word.  I  will  teach  thee  what  thou  art  to  write.' 
On  that  same  night,  were  opened  to  my  perception 
the  heavens  and  the  hells,  where  I  saw  many  per- 
sons of  my  acquaintance,  of  all  conditions.  From 
that  day  forth,  I  gave  up  all  mere  worldly  learning 
and  labored  only  in  spiritual  things,  according  to 
what  the  Lord  commanded  me  to  write.  Daily  he 
opened  the  eyes  of  my  spirit  to  see  what  was  done 
in  the  other  world,  and  gave  me,  in  a  state  of  full 
wakefulness,  to  converse  with  angels  and  spirits."* 
Such  is  Swedenborg's  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  his  spiritual  senses  Avere  opened ;  of  his  in- 
terviews with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  of  his 
commission  to  unfold  the  hidden  sense  of  the  word, 
and  make  other  important  disclosures  to  men.  As 
to  the  particular  state  of  his  mind,  while  in  the 
spirit,  Swedenborg  gave  no  further  explanations. 
And  this  is  a  point,  in  regard  to  which  his  followers 
are  not  agreed.  Mr.  Hobart  thinks  "  that  Sweden- 
borg can  in  nowise  be  compared  with  the  ancient 
prophets."  Mr.  Noble  and  Mr.  Bush  hold,  that 
"  The  psychological  condition  of  the  prophets  was 
substantially  the  same "  as  his ;  while  Dr.  Hartley 
decides,  that  "  he  was  endued  Avith  heavenly  gifts, 


*  See  Robsam's  Memoir  of  Swedenborg,  in  Hobart's  Life,  p. 
214. 


HE  ACCEPTS  THE  CHARGE. 


23 


beyond  any  of  the  prophets  that  preceded  him?  *  If 
the  receivers  of  his  doctrines  can  not  settle  this  ques- 
tion among  themselves,  I  shall  not  now  undertake 
to  decide  it  for  them.  The  subject  will  come  up  in 
a  following  chapter. 

It  appears  that  Swedenborg  was  not  disobedient 
to  what  he  considered  the  heavenly  vision.  He  at 
once  accepted  the  charge  which  he  had  received. 
He  "  gave  up  all  mere  worldly  learning,"  abandoned 
almost  entirely  secular  pursuits,  read  little  except 
the  Bible  in  the  original  languages,  and  commenced 
printing  and  publishing  the  various  arcana,  which 
were  seen  by  him,  or  revealed  to  him,  in  the  spirit- 
ual world. 

From  this  period,  Swedenborg  lived  about  twen- 
ty-seven years ;  during  which  time  he  published 
what  would  amount  to  twenty-seven  volumes,  octa- 
vo, of  five  hundred  pages  each.f  Of  these,  not  less 
than  twenty  volumes  are  occupied  in  unfolding 
what  he  deemed  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  holy 
Scriptures.  The  more  important  of  this  class  of 
his  writings,  are  the  "Arcana  Celestia,"  the  "Apoc- 
alypse Explained,"  and  the  "  Apocalypse  Revealed." 

Of  his  other  works,  some  are  doctrinal,  some  ethi- 

*  See  Hobart's  Life,  p.  42.  Noble's  Appeal,  p.  320.  Bush's 
Swedenborg  Library,  p.  3.  Treatise  on  Influx,  Hartley's  edition, 
p.  161. 

t  Exclusive  of  his  private,  posthumous  writings,  some  of  which 
have  since  been  published. 


24  SWEDEXBOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


cal,  some  metaphysical  (though  it  is  said  by  one  of 
his  eulogists,  *  that  "  he  detested  metaphysics "), 
while  some  relate  chiefly  to  his  visions,  or  to  what 
he  saw,  or  seemed  to  see,  in  the  spiritual  world.  Of 
these  (which  may  be  termed  his  miscellaneous 
works)  the  more  important  are,  "  The  True  Chris- 
tion  Religion,"  which  was  the  last  book  he  ever 
wrote ;  "  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom ; "  "  Divine  Prov- 
idence ; "  "  The  Last  Judgment ; "  and  "  Heaven  and 
Hell."  To  his  work  on  Conjugal  and  Scortatory 
Love,  Swedenborg  evidently  attached  a  high  impor- 
tance.   I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  it  hereafter. 

Among  the  most  amusing  of  Swedenborg's  discov- 
eries in  the  other  world,  are  those  relating  to  what 
he  calls  "  The  Earths  in  the  Universe."  f  If  he  did 
not  actually  visit  the  planets,  he  conversed  with 
vast  numbers,  who,  during  their  natural  life,  had 
been  their  inhabitants,  and  in  this  way,  collected 
much  information  respecting  them. 

It  is  a  suspicious  circumstance,  to  be  sure,  that  he 
saw  no  spirits  except  from  the  moon,  the  earth,  and 
the  five  other  planets  of  the  solar  system,  which 
alone,  at  that  period,  had  been  discovered.  The  nu- 
merous planets  of  our  system  which  have  since  been 
discovered,  were  then  in  existence,  revolving  on 
their  axes,  around  the  great  central  sun ;  and 
Swedenborg  decides  positively  that  all  the  plan- 

*  M.  Sandel. 

t  The  title  of  one  of  his  publications. 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PLANETS. 


■2-> 


ets  are  inhabited.  Why  then  did  he  not  meet  with 
any  spirits  from  them  ? 

This  question  is  the  more  puzzling,  since  he  trav- 
eled in  spirit  far  out  of  the  solar  system,  and  con- 
versed with  multitudes  from  worlds  on  "which  our 
sun  never  shines.  "Why  then,  we  ask  again,  did  he 
meet  with  none  who  had  been  dwellers  upon  Ceres, 
Pallas,  Juno,  Vesta,  Herschel,  Neptune,  and  all  the 
rest,  and  so  bring  intelligence  to  the  earth  from 
these  then  undiscovered  regions  ? 

Nor  is  even  this  the  most  formidable  difficulty  in 
the  case.  Swedenborg  decides  positively  that  the 
planet  Saturn  is  "  the  farthest  distant  from  the  sun;" 
and  that  for  this  reason  it  has  "  a  large  luminous 
belt,  which  supplies  it  with  much  light,  though  re- 
flected.* Modern  astronomers  have  discovered  that 
Herschel's  distance  from  the  sun  is  at  least  twice  as 
great  as  that  of  Saturn,  and  that  the  distance  of 
Neptune  is  vastly  greater. 

But  leaving  these  perplexities  for  the  present  to 
the  consideration  of  those  whom  they  more  imme- 
diately concern,  I  propose  to  lay  before  my  readers 
a  brief  abstract  of  the  intelligence  which  Sweden- 
borg gathered  among  the  spirits,  relative  to  the 
"  Earths  of  the  Universe,"  and  their  inhabitants. 

Of  the  Mercurians,  he  does  not  give  us  the  most 
favorable  account.  They  are  an  intellectual  people, 
and  have  a  great  thirst  for  knowledge ;  but  their  in- 


*  Earths  in  the  Universe.  §  3. 


20 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


satiable  curiosity  renders  them  obtrusive  and  imper- 
tinent. They  have  remarkable  memories,  and  have 
the  faculty  of  exploring  the  memories  of  others,  but 
the  reasoning  power  is  not  well  developed,  and  they 
lack  in  judgment.  They  are  haughty,  petulant,  self- 
conceited,  and  excessively  loquacious.  On  one  oc- 
casion, they  became  angry  with  Swedenborg  and 
abused  him,  because  he  was  not  more  communica- 
tive. They  are  less  material  and  sensual  than  the 
men  of  our  earth,  and  are  hardly  willing  to  appear 
as  men,  choosing  rather  the  form  of  "  crystalline 
globes."  Swedenborg  had  a  curiosity  "  to  know 
what  kind  of  face  and  body  "  the  Mercurians  had, 
during  their  natural  life,  and  "whether  they  were 
like  the  men  on  our  earth.  Instantly,"  says  he, 
there  was  presented  before  my  eyes,  a  woman.  She 
had  a  beautiful  lace,  but  it  was  smaller  than  that  of 
a  woman  of  our  earth  ;  her  body  also  was  more  slen- 
der, but  her  height  was  equal.  She  wore  on  her 
head  a  linen  cap,  which  was  put  on  without  art,  but 
yet  in  a  becoming  manner.  A  man  also  was  pre- 
sented to  view,  who  was  more  slender  in  body  than 
the  men  of  our  earth.  He  was  clad  in  a  dark  blue 
garment,  closely  fitted  to  his  body.  It  was  given 
me  to  understand  that  such  was  the  form  and  dress 
of  the  men  of  that  earth."  Swedenborg  also  saw 
some  "  of  their  oxen  and  cows,  which  did  not  differ 
much  from  those  on  our  earth,  only  that  they  were 
less,  approaching  to  a  species  of  deer."  * 


*  Earths  in  the  Universe,  §  45. 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PLANETS. 


•27 


Of  the  Jupiterians,  our  author  saw  more  than  of 
the  inhabitants  of  any  other  planet ;  and  he  repre- 
sents them  as  remarkably  well  disposed.  They 
marry  young,  love  their  children,  and  are  careful  as 
to  their  education.  They  never  covet  or  fight,  and 
though  they  go  almost  naked,  are  very  chaste. 
They  have  large  handsome  faces,  of  which  they 
take  especial  care ;  and  what  is  singular,  they  walk 
only  half  erect,  helping  themselves  along  with  their 
hands.  It  is  their  custom  to  sit  cross-legged,  and  to 
tarry  long  at  meals  ;  not  that  they  eat  immoderately, 
but  that  they  may  have  time  for  discourse.  They 
live  in  low  wooden  houses,  and  keep  them  neat. 
They  lie  down  at  night,  but  never  with  their  face 
turned  toward  the  wall.  The  planet  Jupiter  is 
densely  inhabited.  The  horses  of  the  country  are 
large,  run  wild,  and  the  people  are  exceedingly 
afraid  of  them.-  They  are  not  a  scientific  people, 
but  the  mass  of  them  are  religious,  and  devotedly 
attached  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church.  Her- 
esy is  punished  with  death,  inflicted  not  by  the  peo- 
ple upon  one  another,  but  by  guardian  angels  com- 
missioned for  the  purpose.  With  all  their  good- 
ness, our  author  learned  that  there  was  a  species  of 
Popery  among  them.  Certain  individuals  set  them- 
selves up  as  lords  and  hierarchs,  and  demanded  wor- 
ship as  mediators.  The  Jupiterians  have  some 
knowledge  of  our  earth,  and  have  an  unfavorable 
impression  in  regard  to  its  inhabitants.  They  have 
been  vexed,  from  time  to  time,  with  Romish  emis- 


28 


SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


saries,  and  they  seem  to  think  us  all  no  better  than 
Jesuits.  They  seldom  live  more  than  thirty  of  our 
years,  and  commonly  die  easy,  like  one  going  to 
sleep. 

The  inhabitants  of  Mars,  Swedenborg  found  to 
be  even  better  men  than  those  of  Jupiter.  They 
have  no  external  speech  or  respiration,  and  no  civil 
government,  but  live  in  associations,  like  our  Four- 
ier societies,  from  which  the  wicked  are  expelled. 
The  people  have  a  great  sense  of  their  unworthi- 
ness,  regarding  themselves  as  little  better  than 
fiends,  and  acknowledging  all  their  goodness  as 
from  the  Lord.  The  upper  part  of  their  faces  is  yel- 
low, and  the  under  part  black.  They  have  no 
beards ;  feed  on  fruits ;  are  clothed  in  garments 
made  of  bark;  and  burn  fluids  both  for  light  and 
heat. 

The  Satwnians,  our  author  found  to  be  upright, 
modest  and  very  religious,  though  there  were  some 
heretics  and  apostates  among  them.  They  live  in 
families,  feed  on  fruits  and  pulse,  are  slightly  cloth- 
ed, and  do  not  bury  their  dead,  but  cast  them  forth, 
and  cover  them  with  branches  of  trees.  What  ap- 
pears to  us  as  the  belt  of  Saturn,  has  to  them  the 
appearance  of  something  white  in  the  heavens  like 
snow. 

On  the  beautiful  planet  Venus,  Swedenborg  learn- 
ed that  there  are  two  kinds  of  people.  Those  on 
the  further  side  of  the  planet  are  mild  and  humane; 
while  those  on  the  side  next  to  us  are  savage  and 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  i'T.ANETS. 


29 


almost  brutal.  They  are  giants  in  stature,  nearly 
twice  as  tall  as  the  men  of  our  earth.  Their  delight 
is  in  rapine  and  gluttony,  and  they  are  utterly  irre- 
ligious. Still,  some  of  them  are  finally  saved ;  but 
they  must  first  pass  through  w  hat  Swedenborg  terms 
a  vastation  (which  is  a  sort  of  expurgation)  in  the 
other  world. 

The  men  of  the  moon,  or  3foo?iites,  are  small  in 
stature,  not  larger  than  children  ordinarily  of  seven 
years  old.  Their  faces  are  not  unhandsome,  though 
much  elongated,  and  they  are  accustomed  to  ride 
on  each  other's  backs.  They  speak,  not  from  the 
lungs,  but  the  abdomen,  and  their  voices  are  deep- 
toned,  like  the  sound  of  thunder.  They  have  no 
written  language.  * 

Swedenborg  traveled  frequently  beyond  the  solar 
system,  and  conversed  with  spirits  from  the  planets 
of  other  suns.  On  one  of  these  planets,  the  people 
have  remarkably  little  eyes  and  noses.  The  women 
spin  thread,  by  sitting  and  winding  the  fiber  round 
their  toes,  pulling  it  towards  them,  and  twisting  it 
with  their  hands.  On  another  of  these  planets,  the 
temples  are  constructed  of  living  trees,  planted  in 
order  and  trained  for  the  jmrpose.  On  yet  another, 
far  remote,  he  found  the  spirits  were  often  annoyed 
by  visitors  from  our  earth,  who  tried  to  teach  them 

*  According  to  Swedenborg,  there  is  no  written  language  in 
any  world  but  ours  ;  and  it  was  this  circumstance  which  induc- 
ed the  Lord  of  glory  to  become  incarnate,  and  to  die  upon  the 
earth. 


30 


SWEDEXBOEGIAX1SM  EXAMIXED. 


the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  Swedenborg  had  much 
conversation  with  them,  and  pronounced  them  or- 
thordox,  according  to  the  creed  of  the  New  Church. 
He  had  a  preacher  with  him  from  our  world,  who 
fell  in  love  with  a  woman  whom  he  saw  there ;  but 
she  would  have,  nothing  to  say  to  him,  and  fled  from 
him.  They  saw  other  females  tending  sheep.  The 
faces  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  distant  planet  are 
very  peculiar.  The  upper  part  is  white  ;  the  lower 
part  black ;  but  the  noses  are  uncommonly  white. 
Some  few  of  the  males  are  wholly  black.  The  min- 
ister whom  Swedenborg  had  with  him  from  our 
world,  desired  to  preach  to  them ;  but  they  would 
not  hear  him.  The  houses  of  the  country  are  low 
and  long,  are  built  of  turf,  and  haAe  round  roofs. 
The  corn  resembles  Chinese  wheat.  The  inhabit- 
ants bake  bread  in  little  square  loaves,  and  have  a 
species  of  wine  made  of  berries.  The  length  of  their 
year  is  two  hundred  days  and  fifteen  hours.  The 
entire  globe  on  which  they  live  is  scarcely  five  hun- 
dred German  miles  in  circumference — less  than  two 
hundred  in  diameter  —  not  larger  than  some  of  our 
asteroids. 

Swedenborg  has  described  still  another  planet 
out  of  the  solar  system;  and  at  the  hazard  of  tiring 
rather  than  amusing  our  readers,  we  must  give  them 
a  few  particulars.  The  inhabitants  have  preaching 
once  in  thirty  days ;  and  are  favored,  meanwhile, 
with  revelations  imparted  in  waking  dreams.  The 
Spirits  from  this  world,  like  those  from  the  one  last  des- 


PLANETS  OUT  OF  THE   SOLAS  SYSTEM. 


cribed,  are  much  troubled  with  monkish  emissaries 
from  our  earth,  who  are  intent  upon  teaching  them 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  The  people  live  in  low, 
flat-roofed  houses,  built  of  Avood.  They  go  almost 
or  quite  naked.  They  have  a  species  of  cows  which 
have  wool,  like  sheep,  and  their  common  drink  is 
milk  and  water.  Their  marriage  ceremonies  are 
very  peculiar,  but  the  account  is  too  long  to  be  in- 
serted here.  The  length  of  the  year,  on  this  planet, 
is  two  hundred  days  and  nine  hours. 

I  have  presented  this  abstract  of  Swedenborg's 
account  of  some  of  "  the  Earths  in  the  Universe," 
because  the  story  is  too  amusing,  and  too  strongly 
characteristic  of  him,  to  be  altogether  omitted,  and 
I  know  not  where  else  it  could  be  introduced  so 
well.  It  will  be  borne  in  mind,  that  to  Swedenborg 
and  his  followers,  what  has  been  stated  is  not  a  mere 
fancy  sketch  or  romance,  but  matter  of  indubitable 
revelation.  It  was  all  disclosed  to  the  rapt  seer 
(and  a  vast  deal  more  of  the  same  character)  hi  the 
world  of  spirits.* 

Swedenborg  wrought  no  miracles  in  attestation  of 
his  revelations,  nor  did  he  pretend  to  any.  He  ad- 
mitted that  the  age  of  miracles  was  past.  He  is 
said  to  have  made  some  unaccountable  disclosures, 
hy  means  of  his  intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world  : 
but  he  attached  no  importance  to  them,  as  furnish- 
ing evidence  in  his  favor.    He  was  wise  in  this ;  for 

*  See  Swedenborg's  work  entitled  •'  Earths  in  the  Universe." 


32 


S\\  EOEXBOEGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


if  the  accounts  which  his  followers  have  given  us 
are  to  be  depended  on,  his  marvels  do  not  at  all  ex- 
ceed what  is  alleged  to  be  done  by  mesmerizers,  clair- 
voyants, necromancers,  conjurers,  and  men  of  second 
sight,  in  our  own  times. 

Subsequent  to  his  sivpposed  illumination,  Sweden- 
borg  spent  much  of  his  time  in  London.  He  had  fa- 
cilities there,  beyond  what  his  own  country  afforded, 
for  publishing  his  numerous  works,  and  for  making 
them  known  to  the  world.  Still,  he  regarded  the 
Swedish  capital  as  his  home ;  where  he  had  a  house 
and  garden,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city,  and 
where  he  resided,  more  or  less,  as  his  convenience  or 
his  inclination  dictated.  While  there,  he  lived  a  re- 
tired and  studious  life,  having  no  family  or  attend- 
ants, save  his  gardener  and  the  gardener's  wife. 
The  following  particulars  respecting  his  domestic 
habits,  I  extract  chiefly  from  a  memoir  of  him, 
drawn  up  by  his  intimate  friend,  Mr.  Robsam. 

"  Swedenborg  often  labored  through  the  whole 
night,  having  no  stated  periods  for  employment  or 
repose.  '  When  I  am  sleepy,'  said  he,  '  I  go  to  bed.' 
From  his  only  servant,  the  gardener's  wife,  he  re- 
quired nothing,  except  that  she  should  make  his 
bed,  and  bring  a  large  pitcher  of  water  to  his  study 
daily.  He  made  his  own  coffee,  and  drank  much  of 
it,  by  day  and  by  night,  without  cream,  but  made 
quite  sweet  with  sugar.  At  home,  his  dinner  was  a 
small  loaf  or  roll,  and  boiled  milk.  He  took  neither 
wine,  nor  any  other  heating  drink,  and  seldom  ate 


APPEARANCE  AND  HABITS. 


33 


anything  at  night.  When  in  company,  he  would 
eat  with  the  company,  and  drink  wine,  but  always 
with  moderation."  He  did  not  absolutely  prohibit 
animal  food ;  yet  he  considered  the  use  of  it  as  in- 
consistent with  a  high  state  of  the  church.  "  No 
one  who  embraces  his  sentiments,"  says  one  of  his 
biographers,  "  can  justify  to  himself  the  use  of  ani- 
mal food,  on  any  other  ground,  than  that  he  was 
born  in  evils  of  all  kinds,  hereditarily  received  from 
his  parents,  the  extirpation  of  which,  and  his  conse- 
quent restoration  to  order,  must  be  a  gradual,  pro- 
gressive work." 

Swedenborg's  study  "  dress  was  simple,  yet  neat 
and  convenient.  In  winter  he  wore  a  garment  of 
reindeer  skins;  and  in  summer,  a  study  gown,  as 
became  a  philosopher.  When  he  dressed  himself  to 
go  abroad,  without  the  help  of  other  people,  it  some- 
times happened  that  some  singularity  might  be  no- 
ticed, showing  that  his  mind  was  occupied  with  oth- 
er things. 

"  Swedenborg  could  not  talk  fast  without  difficul- 
ty ;  and  when  he  attempted  it  he  was  likely  to  stam- 
mer, more  especially  when  he  spoke  in  a  foreign 
tongue.  As  soon  as  he  began  to  speak,  all  conver- 
sation commonly  ceased,  and  the  slowness  of  his  de- 
livery served  but  to  increase  the  curiosity  of  the  lis- 
teners. 

"  It  is  remarkable  that  Swedenborg  never  attempt- 
ed to  make  proselytes,  nor  pressed  upon  any  one  his 
explanations  of  the  Word.    lie  seldom   went  to 

3 


34 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


church,  partly  because  what  he  heard  there  was  at 
variance  with  the  revelations  made  to  him,  and  part- 
ly on  account  of  the  disease  of  the  stone,  froni  which 
he  suffered.  He  also  absented  himself  froni  the  holy 
supper." 

"  Swedenborg's  frequent  journeys  were  made  with 
no  parade,  and  with  but  few  of  the  conveniences  of 
traveling.  He  took  no  servant  with  him,  and  com- 
monly rode  in  an  open  wagon  from  Stockholm  to 
Gottenburg,  whenever  he  embarked  for  England  or 
Holland,  to  have  his  manuscripts  printed.  In  pre- 
paring his  manuscripts,  Swedenborg  employed  no 
copyist.  His  works  were  printed  from  his  own  hand- 
writing. In  his  advanced  age,  it  became  very  diffi- 
cult to  decipher  this ;  but  he  said  that  the  Dutch 
and  English  compositors  could  do  it  easily."  The 
avails  of  his  publications,  at  least  in  some  instances, 
he  is  said  to  have  devoted  to  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel. 

He  was  connected  by  means  of  his  family  and  in 
other  ways,  with  most  of  the  great  men  of  his  coun- 
try, whether  in  church  or  state.  After  mentioning 
some  of  his  distinguished  relatives,  he  goes  on  to 
say ;  "  I  live,  besides,  on  terms  of  familiarity  and 
friendship  with  all  the  bishops  of  my  country,  who 
are  ten  in  number;  as  also  with  the  sixteen  sena- 
tors, and  the  rest  of  the  nobility.  The  king  and 
queen  also,  and  the  three  princes,  their  sons,  show 
me  much  favor.  I  was  once  invited  by  the  king  and 
queen  to  dine  at  their  table  —  an  honor  which,  in 


PERSONAL  APPEARANCE. 


35 


general,  is  granted  only  to  the  nobility  of  the  high- 
est rank.  The  same  honor  has  since  been  shown  me 
by  the  hereditary  prince." 

In  person,  Swedenborg  was  about  five  feet  nine 
inches  high,  rather  thin,  and  of  a  swarthy  complex- 
ion. His  eyes  were  of  a  brown  gray,  nearly  hazel, 
and  rather  small.  He  was  never  seen  to  laugh,  but 
had  always  a  cheerful  smile  upon  his  countenance. 
When  he  appeared  abroad,  his  dress  and  manners 
were  those  of  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 

Swedenborg  had  certain  rules  for  the  regulation 
of  his  conduct,  which  are  found  written  down  in  va- 
rious parts  of  his  manuscripts.  They  are  as  follows : 
"  1.  Often  to  read  and  to  meditate  on  the  word  of 
the  Lord.  2.  To  submit  every  thing  to  the  will  of 
Divine  providence.  3.  To  observe  in  every  thing,  a 
propriety  of  behavior,  and  always  to  keep  the  con- 
science clear.  4.  To  discharge  with  fidelity,  the 
functions  of  my  employment,  and  the  duties  of  my 
office,  and  to  render  myself,  in  all  things,  useful  to 
society."  If  Swedenborg  lived  up  to  these  rules,  he 
must  have  been  (what  all  history  represents  him)  a 
moral,  useful,  and  to  some  extent  a  religious  man. 

In  his  latter  years,  two  Swedish  clergymen,  Bish- 
op Filenius  and  Dr.  Ekebon,  instituted  a  prosecution 
against  Swedenborg  in  the  consistory  of  Gottenburg, 
whence  it  was  transferred  to  the  Diet.  The  charge 
against  him  was  that  of  inculcating  fundamental  er- 
rors in  religion.  But  he  came  out  of  the  trial  with 
safety,  unaccused  by  the  Diet,  and  protected  by  the 
king. 


CHAPTER  II. 


GENERAL    STATEMENT  OF   THE  DOCTRINES   OF  SWE- 
DENBORG. 

Before  remarking  upon  the  doctrines  of  Sweden- 
borg,  it  will  be  necessary  to  exhibit  a  brief  statement 
of  them;  and  this  I  shall  do,  so  far  as  practicable, 
in  the  words  either  of  himself  or  his  followers. 

He  published  a  summary  of  his  faith,  in  five  short 
articles:  "1.  That  there  is  one  God,  in  whom  is  a 
divine  trinity,  and  that  he  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
2.  That  saving  faith  is  to  believe  in  him.  3.  That 
evils  ought  to  be  shunned,  because  they  are  of  the 
devil,  and  from  the  devil.  4.  That  good  works  ought 
to  be  done,  because  they  are  of  God,  and  from  God. 
5.  That  they  ought  to  be  done  by  man  as  from  him- 
self, but  with  a  belief  that  they  are  from  the  Lord, 
operating  in  him  and  by  him."  * 

The  following  articles  are  from  the  "Book  of 
Worship  "  of  the  New  Church  in  America ;  and  are 


*  Brief  Exposition,  §  13. 


CREED  OF  THE  NEW  CHURCH. 


37 


said  to  be  "  copied  from  the  Liturgy  of  the  New 
Church  General  Conference  of  England."  I  shall 
present  them  entire,  accompanying  them  with  such 
additional  statements  and  explanations  as  may  be 
deemed  necessary. 

"  1.  That  Jehovah  God,  the  Creator  and  Preserver 
of  heaven  and  earth,  is  love  itself,  and  wisdom  itself, 
and  good  itself,  and  truth  itself :  That  he  is  one,  both 
in  essence  and  in  person,  in  whom,  nevertheless,  is 
the  divine  trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  which  are  the  essential  divinity,  the  divine 
humanity,  and  the  divine  proceeding,  answering 
to  the  soul,  the  body  and  the  operative  energy  in 
man :  And  that  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
is  that  God. 

2.  That  Jehovah  God  himself  descended  from 
heaven  as  divine  truth,  which  is  the  word,  and  took 
upon  him  human  nature,  for  the  purpose  of  removing 
from  man  the  powers  of  hell,  and  restoring  to  order 
all  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  all  things  in 
the  church  :  That  he  removed  from  man  the  powers 
of  hell,  by  combats  against  and  victories  over  them, 
in  which  consisted  the  great  work  of  Redemption : 
That  by  the  same  acts,  which  were  his  temptations, 
the  last  of  which  was  the  passion  of  the  cross,  he 
united  in  his  humanity  divine  truth  to  divine  good, 
or  divine  wisdom  to  divine  love,  and  so  returned 
into  his  divinity,  in  which  he  was  from  eternity, 
together  with,  and  in,  his  glorified  humanity ;  whence 
he  forever  keeps  the  infernal  powers  in  subjection  to 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


himself:  And  that  all  who  believe  in  him,  with  the 
understanding  from  the  heart,  and  live  accordingly, 
will  be  saved. 

3.  That  the  Sacred  Scripture  or  word  of  God,  is 
divine  truth  itself;  containing  a  spiritual  sense 
heretofore  unknown,  whence  it  is  divinely  inspired 
and  holy  in  every  syllable ;  as  well  as  a  literal  sense, 
in  which  divine  truth  is  in  its  fullness,  its  sanctity 
and  its  power ;  thus  that  it  is  accommodated  to  the 
apprehension  of  both  angels  and  men :  That  the 
spiritual  and  natural  senses  are  united  by  corres- 
pondences, like  soul  and  body,  every  natural  ex- 
pression and  image  answering  to  and  including  a 
spiritual  and  divine  idea :  And  thus  that  the  word 
is  the  medium  of  communication  with  heaven,  and 
of  conjunction  with  the  Lord. 

4.  That  the  government  of  the  Lord's  divine 
love  and  wisdom  is  the  divine  providence  ;  which  is 
universal,  exercised  according  to  certain  fixed  laws 
of  order,  and  extending  to  the  minutest  particulars 
of  the  life  of  all  men,  both  of  the  good  and  of  the 
evil :  That  in  all  its  operations,  it  has  respect  to 
what  is  infinite  and  eternal,  and  makes  no  account 
of  things  transitory  but  as  they  are  subservient  to 
eternal  ends ;  thus  that  it  mainly  consists  with  man 
in  the  connection  of  things  temporal  with  things 
eternal ;  for  that  the  continued  aim  of  the  Lord,  by 
his  divine  providence  is  to  join  man  to  himself  and 
himself  to  man,  that  he  may  be  able  to  give  him  the 
felicities  of  eternal  life  :   And  that  the  laws  of  per- 


CREED  OF  THE  NEW  CHUECII. 


uiission  are  also  laws  of  divine  providence ;  since 
evil  can  not  be  prevented,  without  destroying  the 
nature  of  man  as  an  accountable  agent;  and  because 
also  it  can  not  be  removed,  unless  it  be  known ;  and 
can  not  be  known,  unless  it  appear :  Thus  that  no 
evil  is  permitted  but  to  prevent  a  greater ;  and  all 
is  overruled,  by  the  Lord's  divine  providence,  for  the 
gi-eatest  possible  good. 

5.  That  man  is  not  life,  but  is  only  a  recipient  of 
hfe  from  the  Lord,  who,  as  he  is  love  itself,  and 
wisdom  itself,  is  also  life  itself ;  which  life  is  communi- 
cated by  influx  to  all  in  the  spiritual  world,  whether 
belonging  to  heaven  or  to  hell,  and  to  all  in  the  nat- 
ural world;  but  it  is  received  differently  by  every 
one,  according  to  his  quality  and  consequent  state  of 
reception. 

6.  That  man,  during  his  abode  in  the  world,  is, 
as  to  his  spirit,  in  the  midst  between  heaven  and 
hell,  acted  upon  by  influences  from  both,  and  thus 
kej)t  in  a  state  of  spiritual  equilibrium  between 
good  and  evil  ;  in  consequence  of  which  he  enjoys 
free-will,  or  freedom  of  choice,  in  spiritual  things  as 
well  as  in  natural,  and  possesses  the  capacity  of 
either  turning  himself  to  the  Lord  and  his  kingdom, 
or  turning  himself  away  from  the  Lord,  and  con- 
necting himself  with  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 
And  that  unless  man  had  such  freedom  of  choice, 
the  word  would  be  of  no  use,  the  church  would  be 
a  mere  name,  man  would  possess  nothing  by  virtue 


40  SWEDENBOEGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


of  which  he  could  be  conjoined  to  the  Lord,  and  the 
cause  of  evil  would  be  chargeable  on  God  himself. 

7.  That  man,  at  this  day,  is  born  into  evil  of  all 
kinds,  or  with  tendencies  towards  it :  That  there- 
fore, in  order  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  he 
must  be  regenerated  or  created  anew ;  which  great 
work  is  effected  in  a  progressive  manner  by  the 
Lord  alone,  by  charity  and  faith  as  mediums,  during 
man's  cooperation:  That  as  all  men  are  redeemed, 
all  are  capable  of  being  regenerated,  and  consequent- 
ly saved,  every  one  according  to  his  state  :  And  that 
the  regenerate  man  is  in  communion  with  the  angels 
of  heaven,  and  the  unregenerate  with  the  spirits  of 
hell :  But  that  no  one  is  condemned  for  hereditary 
evil,  any  farther  than  as  he  makes  it  his  own  by 
actual  life ;  whence  all  who  die  in  infancy  are  saved, 
special  means  being  provided  by  the  Lord  in  the 
other  life,  for  that  purpose. 

8.  That  repentance  is  the  first  beginning  of  the 
church  in  man ;  and  that  it  consists  in  a  man's  ex- 
amining himself,  both  in  regard  to  his  deeds  and  his 
intentions,  in  knowing  and  acknowledging  his  sins, 
confessing  them  before  the  Lord,  supplicating  him 
for  aid,  and  beginning  a  new  life :  That  to  this  end, 
all  evils,  whether  of  affection,  of  thought,  or  of  life 
are  to  be  abhorred  and  shunned  as  sins  against  God, 
and  because  they  proceed  from  infernal  spirits,  who, 
in  the  aggregate  are  called  the  Devil  and  Satan ;  and 
that  good  affections,  good  thoughts,  and  good  actions 


CREED  OF  THE  NEW  CHURCH. 


41 


are  to  be  cherished  and  performed,  because  they  are 
of  God  and  from  God:  That  these  things  are  to  be 
done  by  man  as  of  himself,  nevertheless  under  the 
acknowledgement  and  belief  that  it  is  from  the  Lord, 
operating  in  him  and  by  him :  That  so  far  as  man 
shuns  evils  as  sins,  so  far  they  are  removed,  remitted 
and  forgiven ;  so  far  also  he  does  good,  not  from 
himself,  but  from  the  Lord ;  and  in  the  same  degree 
he  loves  truth,  has  faith,  and  is  a  spiritual  man  :  And 
that  the  decalogue  teaches  us  what  evils  are  sins. 

9.  That  charity,  faith,  and  good  works  are  unitedly 
necessary  to  man's  salvation  ;  since  charity,  without 
faith,  is  not  spiritual,  but  natural;  and  faith  without 
charity  is  not  living,  but  dead ;  and  both  charity  and 
faith,  without  good  works,  are  merely  mental  and 
perishable,  because  without  use  or  fixedness :  And 
that  nothing  of  faith,  of  charity,  or  of  good  works  is 
of  man,  but  that  all  is  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  merit 
is  his  alone. 

10.  That  baptism  and  the  holy  supper  are  sacra- 
ments of  divine  institution,  and  are  to  be  perma- 
nently observed  ;  baptism  being  an  external  medium 
of  introduction  into  the  church,  and  a  sign  repre- 
sentative of  man's  purification  and  regeneration  ;  and 
the  holy  supper  being  an  external  medium  to  those 
who  receive  it  worthily,  of  introduction  as  to  spirit 
into  heaven,  and  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  of 
which  also  it  is  a  sign  and  seal. 

11.  That  immediately  after  death,  which  is  only  a 
putting  off  of  the  natural  body,  never  to  be  resumed, 


42  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

man  rises  again  in  a  spiritual  or  substantial  body,  in 
"which  he  continues  to  live  to  eternity ;  in  heaven,  if 
his  ruling  affections  and  thence  his  life  have  been 
good  ;  and  in  hell,  if  his  ruling  affections  and  thence 
his  life  have  been  evil. 

12.  That  now  is  the  second  advent  of  the  Lord, 
■which  is  a  coming,  not  in  person,  but  in  the  power  and 
glory  of  his  holy  word  :  That  it  is  attended,  like  his 
first  coming,  with  the  restoration  to  order  of  all 
things  in  the  spiritual  world,  where  the  wonderful  di- 
vine operation,  commonly  ex2>ected  under  the  name 
of  the  last  judgment,  has  in  consequence  been  per- 
formed ;  and  with  the  preparing  of  the  way  for  a  new 
church  on  the  earth ;  the  first  christian  church  hav- 
ing spiritually  come  to  its  end  or  consummation, 
through  evils  of  life  and  errors  of  doctrine,  as  fore- 
told by  the  Lord  in  the  gospels :  And  that  this  new 
or  second  christian  church,  which  will  be  the  crown 
of  all  churches  and  will  stand  for  ever,  is  what  was 
representatively  seen  by  John,  when  he  beheld  the 
holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  descending  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  hus- 
band." 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  first  of  the  above  Articles, 
that  while  Swedenborg  taught  the  proper  divinity 
of  ChristKhe  denied  the  commonly  received  doctrine 
of  the  trinity,  and  was,  in  fact,  a  unitarian.  A  uni- 
tarian believes  in  the  existence  of  one  God  in  one 
person ;  a  trinitarian,  of  one  God  in  three  persons. 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CREED. 


4o 


The  former  was  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  who 
regarded  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  one  Jehovah 
God,  in  one  person.  The  trinity  of  which  he  speaks 
is  little  more  than  nominal,  and  is  entirely  consistent 
with  his  unitarian  conceptions  as  to  the  mode  of  the 
divine  existence. 

From  the  second  Article,  it  appears  that  the  doc- 
trine of  redemption,  according  to  Swedenborg,  is  a 
very  different  matter  from  that  commonly  received 
by  evangelical  christians.  With  him,  redemption 
consists,  not  in  the  vicarious  sacrifice  of  Christ,  but 
"in  removing  froni  man  the  powers  of  hell,  and  re- 
storing to  order  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and 
in  the  church." 

The  third  Article  sets  forth  his  doctrine  as  to  cor- 
respondences, and  the  spiritual  sense  of  Scripture. 
He  taught  "  that  there  is  a  correspondence  between 
all  things  in  heaven  and  all  things  in  man ;  and  that 
this  science  of  correspondences  is  a  key  to  the  spir- 
itual or  internal  sense  of  the  sacred  Scriptures."  lie 
believed  that  the  Scriptures  (or  such  parts  of  them 
as  are  inspired)  have  three  senses;  the  literal,  the 
spiritual,  and  the  celestial.  Indeed,  he  sometimes 
speaks  of  a  still  higher  sense  of  the  Word,  in  which 
it  is  understood  only  by  the  Lord.*  It  was  the 
second,  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  which  he  was 
especially  instructed  to  open. 

The  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  Articles  set  forth  the 


*  See  Apocalypse  Revealed.  §  959. 


44 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


doctrine  of  divine  providence ;  also  the  free  agency 
of  man,  and  the  grounds  of  it.  Being  situated  "  in 
the  midst,  between  heaven  and  hell,  where  he  is  * 
acted  upon  by  influences  from  both,  and  thus  kept 
in  a  state  of  equilibrium  between  good  and  evil ;  man 
enjoys  free-will,  or  freedom  of  choice." 

The  seventh  Article  asserts,  "that  man,  at  this 
day,  is  born  into  evil  of  all  kinds,  or  with  tendencies 
towards  it."  Consequently  he  needs  regeneration ; 
and  this  is  a  gradual,  progressive  work.  Man  has 
no  need  of  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  regeneration.  "  That  influence  which  is  usually 
referred  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  is,  according  to  Swe- 
denborg,  imparted  through  the  agency  of  created 
spirits,  whose  nature  it  is  to  flow  into  other  spirits, 
and  thus  form  them  to  the  reception  of  good  and 
truth."  * 

The  eighth  Article  describes  more  fully,  the  pro- 
cess of  repentance  and  regeneration.  It  asserts  that, 
"  so  far  as  man  shuns  evils  as  sins,  so  far  they  are 
removed,  remitted,  or  forgiven."  In  the  theology  of 
Swedenborg,  the  removal  of  sins  and  the  remission 
of  them  are  the  same. 

The  ninth  Article,  though  cautiously  framed,  was 
intended,  doubtless,  to  contradict  the  commonly  re- 
ceived doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  —  a  doctrine 
which  gave  great  offense  to  Swedenborg. 

The  tenth  Article  treats  of  the  sacraments,  which 

*  Bush's  Swedenborg  Library,  Vol.  I.  p.  50. 


EXPLANATION  OF   THE  CREED. 


45 


"are  of  divine  institution,  and  to  be  permanently- 
observed." 

The  eleventh  Article  contains  a  denial  of  the  com- 
monly received  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  a 
statement  of  the  Swedenborgian  doctrine.  It  also 
teaches  that  after  death,  there  is  to  be  no  change  of 
the  ruling,  predominant  affection,  either  in  the  holy 
or  the  sinful. 

In  the  twelfth  Article,  it  is  asserted  that  the  sec- 
ond advent  of  the  Lord,  and  the  general  judgment 
are  already  past ;  that  the  first  christian  church,  like 
the  Jewish,  has  come  to  an  end  ;  and  that  "  the  new 
or  second  christian  church"  (the  Swedenborgian) 
which  "is  the  crown  of  all  churches,"  has  been  set 
up,  and  "  will  stand  for  ever." 

The  foregoing  articles  contain  the  leading  doc- 
trines of  the  Swedenborgian  faith.  Before  proceed- 
ing with  our  remarks,  it  may  be  necessary  to  add  a 
few  particulars,  expressed  (so  far  as  possible)  in  the 
lan^ua^e  of  the  New  Church. 

Swedenborg  held,  that  "  God  is  an  infinite  man, 
existing  in  a  perfect  human  form ; "  and  that  he  cre- 
ated all  things,  not  from  nothing,  but  "out  of  him- 
self," so  that  every  created  thing  partakes  of  the 
very  substance  of  the  Deity.  He  also  held,  that  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  invisible  world,  both  ffood  and 
bad,  are  of  the  human  species,  and  once  lived  in  ma- 
terial bodies  on  the  earths.  He  rejected  the  idea  of 
a  personal  devil,  or  prince  of  devils,  and  held  that 


46 


SWEDENBORGIAXISH  EXAMINED. 


the  Devil  and  Satan  of  the  Scriptures  are  but  names, 
applied  to  the  congregated  spirits  of  darkness. 

He  taught  that  our  Saviour  had  not  a  human  soul, 
but  that  "the  divine  essence  itself,  or  the  Father, 
was  his  soul."  Also,  that  when  he  came  into  the 
world,  he  assumed  "  humanity,  with  all  its  evil  loves 
and  false  persuasions,  and  put  himself  into  every  pos- 
sible state  that  man  ever  has  been  in,  or  can  be." 

He  taught  that  marriages  are  consummated  in 
heaven,  and  that  "  true  conjugial  love,  which  can  only 
exist  between  one  husband  and  one  wife,  is  more  ce- 
lestial, spiritual,  holy,  pure,  and  clean,  than  any  other 
love  in  angels  or  men." 

It  was  a  leading  doctrine  of  his,  that  "  there  is  an 
intermediate  state  for  departed  souls,  called  the 
world  of  sjnrits,  and  that  very  few  pass  directly  to 
heaven  or  to  hell."  This  is  a  state,  not  properly  of 
probation,  but  of  development ;  a  "  state  of  purification 
to  the  good,  but  to  the  bad,  a  state  where  all  extra- 
neous good  is  separated  from  the  radical  evil,  which 
constitutes  the  essence  of  their  natures." 

Swedenborg  taught  that  both  the  heavens  and  the 
hells  consist  of  different  societies,  each  society  being 
composed  of  individuals  of  like  qualities  and  dispo- 
sitions. When  persons  have  been  long  enough  in 
the  spiritual  world  to  have  their  riding  love  —  their 
real,  internal  character  developed,  they  are  naturally 
drawn  each  to  his  own  company ;  so  that  whether 
they  rise  to  heaven,  or  sink  to  hell,  each  goes  ac- 


A  GRAND  MAN. 


47 


cording  to  his  own  love  or  choice.  He  further  taught, 
that  each  heavenly  society  is  so  constituted  as  to  be 
in  the  human  form ;  and  that  the  heavenly  societies 
collectively  are  in  the  same  form.  Accordingly,  he 
speaks  of  heaven,  in  the  general,  as  a  Grand  Man. 
Yet,  strange  to  tell,  neither  heaven  nor  hell  exist  in 
place,  but  are  only  "  internal,  spiritual  states  ! " 

It  was  a  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  not  only  that 
Mohammedans  and  heathens  may  be  saved,  but  that 
vast  numbers  of  them  actually  are  so.  He  describes 
a  heaven,  appropriated  exclusively  to  Mohammedans, 
living  there  in  polygamy,  as  on  the  earth ;  and  an- 
other heaven  appropriated  to  idolaters,  who  are 
engaged,  as  on  earth,  in  the  worship  of  idols.  * 

But  I  need  not  proceed  further,  in  a  general  state- 
ment of  his  doctrines.  In  what  follows,  I  shall  have 
occasion,  not  only  to  remark  upon  what  has  been 
exhibited,  but  to  notice  other  opinions,  to  which  no 
allusion  has  yet  been  made.  Enough,  however,  has 
been  said,  to  give  the  reader  a  general  idea  of  his 
religious  system. 


*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  832.    Conj.  Lore,  §  78. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OBJECTIONS    TO  THE    CLAIMS    AND    THE  DOCTRINES 
OF  SWEDENBOEG. 


In  deciding  upon  the  claims  and  the  doctrines  of 
Swedenborg,  I  agree  with  Professor  Bush,  that  the 
first  and  principal  question  relates  to  the  fact  of  his 
supernatural  illumination.  Did  he  actually  con- 
verse with  spirits  and  angels  ?  "Was  he  immediately 
instructed  by  the  Lord  himself?  Did  he,  in  fact, 
receive  revelations  from  heaven  ?  If  so,  then  what- 
ever he  taught  must  have  been  worthy  of  its  Author, 
divinely  true,  and  is  to  be  regarded  as  the  voice  of 
God  to  men.  There  is  no  resisting  this  conclusion, 
and  we  have  no  desire  to  resist  or  evade  it.  But 
then  there  is  another  conclusion  equally  resistless, 
and  most  intimately  connected  with  it.  If  it  can.be 
shown  that  Swedenborg  taught  much  that  is  unwor- 
thy of  God,  untrue,  not  in  accordance  with  reason, 
Scripture  and  fact ;  then  he  could  not  have  received 
his  instructions  from  the  Lord,  and  his  credit  as  a 
supernatural  teacher,  a  revealer  of  heavenly  things, 
is  destroyed. 


THE  NEW  DISPENSATION". 


49 


No  Swedenborgian  can  reasonably  object  to  our 
arguing  the  question  on  this  ground  ;  and  such,  in 
general,  is  the  line  of  argument  which  I  propose  to 
pursue  in  the  following  pages.  But  without  prom- 
ising to  confine  myself  to  it  strictly  and  universally, 
I  proceed,  with  all  possible  brevity,  to  urge  my  ob- 
jections to  the  claims  and  the  doctrines  of  Sweden- 
borg. 

Objection  1. 

Swedenborgianism  professes  to  supersede  the  gos- 
pel dispensation,  and  to  introduce  a  new  dispensa- 
tion, as  distinct  from  it,  and  superior  to  it,  as  that  is 
superior  to  the  Jewish.  That  such  are  the  claims  of 
Swedenborg  and  his  followers,  is  evident  to  every 
one  who  reads  their  works.  Mr.  Clissold  says  "  the 
internal  sense  of  the  holy  word,  as  revealed  to  Swe- 
denborg, is  absolutely  the  opening  of  a  new  dispen- 
sation ;  a  dispensation  as  different  from  the  former, 
as  the  Christian  dispensation  was  different  from  the 
Jewish."*  Mr.  Barrett  says,  "It  is  maintained  by  the 
New  Church,  and  taught  in  its  writings,  that  the 
church  instituted  by  our  Lord,  at  his  advent,  has 
spiritually  come  to  its  end;  and  that  a  new  dispen- 
sation of  truth  has  been  made  to  the  world  in  the 
theological  writings  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg." 
Again,  "the  New  Jerusalem  church  is  not  to  be 
considered  as  a  sect,  or  as  one  of  the  numerous  pro- 

*  ClissolJ's  Letter,  &c.,  p.  95. 
4 


S  W  B  DENBORGIA1 S  S  M  K  X  AMI  N  E  D. 


geny  of  the  old  church.  It  is  a  church  formed  and 
existing  under  a  new  dispensation,  which  is  altogeth- 
er distinct  from  every  former  dispensation."*  This 
new  dispensation  commenced,  Are  are  told,  in  the 
year  1757,  when  the  last  judgment  took  place,  and 
the  old  church  was  superseded  or  destroyed. 

Such  then  are  the  claims  of  Swedenborgians,  in 
regard  to  the  matter  of  a  new  dispensation.  And  I 
now  ask,  Where  is  the  proof  of  them  ?  It  was  a 
maxim  with  Swedenborg,  and  one  oft  repeated  in 
his  writings,  that  "  the  doctrine  of  the  church  ought 
to  be  drawn  from  the  literal  sense  of  the  word,  and 
to  be  confirmed  by  itP  "  Doctrine  is  not  derived 
from  the  spiritual  sense,  but  only  illustrated  and  cor- 
roborated." f  This  is  a  very  important  canon  of  the 
New  Church,  and  one  which  ought  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. I  ask  then  for  proof,  drawn  from  the  literal 
sense  of  the  word,  that  the  dispensation  which  was 
introduced  at  the  first  coming  of  Christ,  has  passed 
away,  or  was  ever  expected  to  pass  away,  and  that 
a  new  dispensation  has  succeeded  it.  There  is  evi- 
dence enough  in  the  Apocalypse,  and  in  the  ancient 
prophets,  that  there  is  to  be  a  latter  day  glory  of  the 
church  on  earth ;  that  at  some  period,  still  future, 
the  Christian  church  —  the  same  which  our  Saviour 
and  his  apostles  established  —  is  to  be  greatly  en- 


*  Burnett's  Lectures,  pp.  80,  152. 

\  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  229,  230.  Divine  Providence,  §  250. 
Sacred  Scriptures,  §  50. 


THE  JEWISH  DISI'EXSATIOX. 


51 


forged,  purified  and  exalted.  But  where  do  the  Scrip- 
tures, in  their  proper,  literal  sense,  teach,  that  the 
Christian  church  is  to  come  to  an  end,  and  be  suc- 
ceeded by  another  church  ;  yea  more,  that  it  did  ac- 
tually come  to  an  end,  and  was  superseded,  more 
than  a  hundred  years  ago?  Till  this  point  is  fully 
established,  and  that  too  on  the  literal  sense  of  the 
word,  no  one  (even  according  to  Swedenborg)  ought 
to  believe  it.  And  that  it  never  has  been  thus  es- 
tablished, and  never  can  be,  is  to  my  own  mind  per- 
fectly clear. 

That  the  Jewish  dispensation,  which  was  essen- 
tially typical,  should  in  the  fullness  of  time  be  super- 
seded, was  altogether  natural,  and  even  necessary. 
When  the  substance  came,  the  shadows  ceased,  as  a 
matter  of  course.  When  the  great  sacrifice  of  the 
cross  was  offered  up,  the  bloody  rites  which  prefig- 
ured it  must  pass  away  But  no  such  reason  can  be 
conceived  ofj  why  the  Christian  dispensation  should 
ever  terminate.  What  ancient  predictions  or  typi- 
cal rites  —  such  as  were  fulfilled  in  Christ  —  remain 
to  be  fulfilled  in  Swedenborg,  or  have,  in  him,  re- 
ceived their  fulfillment  ? 

But  this  question  of  a  new  church,  a  new  dispen- 
sation, is  clearly  decided  by  the  sacred  writers.  "In 
the  days  of  these  kings,"  says  Daniel,  "shall  the 
God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never 
be  destroyed  ;  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to 
other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  con- 
sume all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever" 


b-1 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


(chap.  ii.  44.)  Isaiah,  predicting  the  ingathering  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  the  church  under  the 
gospel  dispensation,  says,  "  Whereas  thou  hast  been 
forsaken  and  hated,  so  that  no  man  went  through 
thee,  I  will  make  thee  an  eternal  excellency,  the  joy 
of  many  generations.  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy 
light  by  day,  neither  for  brightness  shall  the  moon 
give  light  unto  thee,  but  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee 
an  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning 
shall  be  ended."  "  The  mountains  shall  depart,  and 
the  hills  be  removed  ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  de- 
part from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my 
peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy 
on  thee."  (chap.  liv.  and  lx.)  It  is  the  church  under 
the  gospel  dispensation  which  is  spoken  of  in  these 
passages,  as  the  connection  clearly  shows ;  and,  cer- 
tainly, the  language  does  not  imply  that  this  church 
was  to  come  to  an  end  in  the  year  1757,  and  be  su- 
perseded by  another  church.  So  far  from  it,  the  church 
here  addressed,  is  to  be  "  an  eternal  excellency,  the 
joy  of  many  generations."  It  is  to  be  protected  and 
blessed  on  the  earth,  to  the  end  of  time,  and  is  to 
live  and  reign  with  Christ  in  heavenly  places  for 
ever. 

That  the  gospel  dispensation  is  never  to  pass 
away,  is  positively  asserted  by  the  writer  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Speaking  of  the  two  dis- 
pensations, the  Jewish  and  Christian,  this  writer 
represents  the  former  as  shaken  and  removed ;  but 
the  latter  as  one  that  can  not  be  removed  or  shaken, 


HIS  REVELATION'S  NOT  ATTESTED.  53 

one  that  is  to  remain.  "  Wherefore  we,  (Christians) 
receiving  a  kingdom  which  can  not  be  moved,  let  us 
have  grace  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably, 
with  reverence  and  godly  fear."  (chap,  xii :  27,  28.) 
The  gospel  dispensation,  then,  is  never  to  be  remov- 
ed. It  is  to  remain  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And 
the  dispensation  of  Swedenborg,  which  claims  to  su- 
persede that  which  was  introduced  by  Christ  and  his 
Apostles,  is  of  course,  to  be  rejected. 

Objection  2. 

The  revelations  of  Swedenborg  are  not  to  be  re- 
ceived, because  they  are  not  sufficiently  attested. 
This  objection  divides  itself  into  two  parts.  In  the 
first  i:>lace,  the  bare  testimony  of  Swedenborg  to  the 
truth  of  what  he  professed  to  reveal  is  insufficient, 
because  it  does  not  conform  to  the  established  laws 
or  conditions  of  valid  testimony.  There  are  laws,  to 
which  if  the  testimony  in  any  given  case  conforms, 
we  cannot  reasonably  withhold  our  faith.  On  the 
contrary,  if  the  testimony  does  not  conform  to  these 
laws,  we  are  not  required  to  yield  our  faith.  Now 
the  testimony  of  Swedenborg,  in  several  most  mate- 
rial points,  is  not  in  accordance  with  established 
laws. 

One  of  the  laws  or  conditions  to  which  I  refer  is, 
that  there  must  be  a  sufficient  number  of  witnesses. 
There  should  be  "  two  or  three  witnesses,"  at  least, 
in  order  "  that  every  word  may  be  established." 
But  in  the  case  of  Swedenborg,  there  is  only  one 


54 


SWEDEXBORGIAXIS3I  EXAMINED. 


witness.  Everything  depends  on  his  own  naked, 
unsupported  assertion. 

Again;  testimony,  to  be  received,  must  be  a 
concurrent,  consistent  testimony.  It  must  involve 
no  palpable  absurdities.  It  must  not  contradict  it- 
self. But  I  shall  show,  in  a  subsequent  Chapter, 
(chap,  ix.)  that  the  testimony  of  Swedenborg  is  lia- 
ble to  both  these  exceptions.  It  does  involve  mani- 
fest absurdities  ;  and  is,  in  many  points,  self-contra- 
dictory. 

I  remark  again,  that  testimony,  to  be  conclusive, 
must  be  of  such  a  nature,  that  the  witnesses,  if  they 
have  falsified,  are  open  to  detection.  They  must  not 
be  able  to  avoid  exposure,  by  taking  refuge  under  a 
veil  of  secresy  which  no  one  besides  themselves  can 
penetrate.  But  most  of  the  testimony  of  Sweden- 
borg is  of  the  kind  here  excepted  to.  Suppose  he 
uttered  a  false  testimony,  how  is  he  to  be  detected  ? 
"VTho  shall  follow  him  into  the  other  world  to  ex- 
pose him  ?  Manifestly,  no  one  can  follow  him,  until 
he  pass  finally  into  that  world  ;  and  then  it  will  be 
too  late  to  retrieve  the  errors  into  which  a  false  tes- 
timony may  have  led  him.  * 

*  If  it  be  said  that  the  operation  of  this  rule  -would  destroy  the 
force  of  all  testimony,  even  that  of  God  and  of  Christ,  as  to  the 
things  of  the  future  world,  I  have  only  to  reply,  that  divine  testi- 
mony is  one  thing  ;  human  testimony  another.  The  former  is  to 
be  received,  whether  we  can  examine  into  its  truth  or  not.  The 
latter  is  more  satisfactory,  always ,  when  of  such  a  nature,  that 
its  falsehood ,  if  it  be  false,  can  be  easily  detected. 


SWEDEXBORu's  TESTIMONY. 


55 


I  remark  once  more,  that  testimony,  to  be  con- 
clusive, must  be,  not  contradicted,  but  confirmed  (at 
least  so  far  as  could  be  reasonably  expected)  by  oth- 
er evidence.  But  even  this  is  not  true  of  the  testi- 
mony of  Swedenborg.  His  revelations  do  not  re- 
late exclusively  to  the  other  world.  Some  of  them 
have  respect  to  the  things  of  this  -world  —  things 
which  are  open  to  the  investigation  and  inspection 
of  mortals.  Such  are  his  disclosures  in  regard  to 
the  existence  of  the  ancient  Word  in  Tartary,  and 
of  a  branch  of  the  New  Church  in  the  interior  of  Af- 
rica ;  also  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  Egyptian  hi- 
eroglyphics, and  to  numerous  facts  of  history  and 
science.  I  can  not  go  into  particulars  here  ;  but  I 
shall  show,  as  I  proceed,  that  his  testimony  on  the 
points  to  which  I  have  referred  has  not  been  confirm- 
ed, as  might  have  been  expected  on  supposition  of 
its  truth,  by  other  evidence.  So  far  from  this,  it  has 
been,  in  various  points,  directly  contradicted. 

I  feel  authorized  to  say  therefore,  without  pursu- 
ing this  topic  further,  that  the  testimony  of  Sweden- 
borg  fails,  in  several  important  particulars,  to  con- 
form to  the  laws  of  valid  testimony,  and  is,  on  this 
account,  unworthy  to  be  received. 

We  come  now  to  the  other  part  of  the  objection 
under  consideration.  Swedenborg's  revelations  were 
not  attested,  —  as  they  should  have  been,  in  order 
to  be  received  —  by  miracles. 

A  proper  miracle  is  always  a  work  of  God  —  a 
work  which  no  being  besides  him  can  perform. 


56 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


And  in  the  ages  when -God  was  making  his  revela- 
tions to  the  world,  he  was  wont,  from  time  to  time, 
to  confirm  them  by  miracles.  He  was  wont  to  in- 
terpose by  his  almighty  power ;  arrest  in  some  way 
the  regular  movements  of  nature ;  and  thus  show 
that  the  prophet  by  whom  he  spoke  was  actually  his 
messenger  to  the  world.  It  was  thus  that  he  attest- 
ed his  messages  to  Pharaoh,  and  his  revelations  to 
the  children  of  Israel,  by  the  hand  of  Moses.  It 
was  thus  that  he  attested  his  subsequent  revelations 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  by  Elijah,  Elisha,  and  oth- 
ers of  the  prophets.  In  the  same  way,  he  attested  the 
preaching  of  his  Son,  and  of  the  inspired  apostles. 
The  leading  object  of  these  miraculous  performances 
was  in  all  cases  the  same.  They  were  a  divine  at- 
testation—  God's  unmistakable  witness  —  to  the  di- 
vine mission  of  those  who  performed  them,  and  to 
the  divine  authority  of  the  messages  Avhich  they 
were  instructed  to  deliver. 

The  testimony  which  God  thus  gave  to  the  fact 
of  his  revelations  in  ancient  times,  he  may  be  ex- 
pected to  give  at  all  times ;  i.  e.,  if  new  revelations 
shall  continue  to  be  made.  No  good  reason  can  be 
assigned  why  his  revealed  word  should  be  miracu- 
lously attested  in  the  first  century  after  Christ,  and 
not  in  the  eighteenth ;  provided  there  really  was, 
during  the  eighteenth  century,  a  further  revelation. 

And  as  this  is  a  species  of  evidence  which  God 
has  been  pleased  to  grant  in  former  cases  of  acknoAvl- 
edged  revelation,  so  it  is  one  which  men  have  a 


MONTANUS  MANES. 


57 


right  to  demand,  whenever  a  new  revelation  is  pro- 
posed for  their  acceptance  ;  and  most  happy  had  it 
been  for  this  world  of  ours  —  delivering  it  from 
enormous  masses  of  superstition  and  corruption  — 
had  this  right  been  constantly  and  strenuously  in- 
sisted on. 

In  the  second  century,  Montanus  appeared,  pro- 
fessing to  be  the  promised  Comforter  from  heaven, 
who  should  teach  the  disciples  all  things,  and  bring 
all  things  to  then-  remembrance.  He  published  his 
revelations,  and  drew  numbers  after  him,  among 
whom  were  some  of  the  learned  fathers  of  the  church. 
If  Montanus  had  been  put  ujion  the  test  of  working 
miracles,  his  career  and  his  delusions  might  soon 
have  passed  away. 

In  the  third  century,  Manes  arose  with  the  same 
pretensions.  He  too  declared  himself  to  be  the 
promised  Comforter.  He  uttered  his  revelations, 
made  large  additions  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and 
drew  away  multitudes  after  him.  If  Manes  had 
merely  been  asked  for  his  credentials  —  his  miracu- 
lous powers,  and  if  no  credit  had  been  given  to  him 
till  these  were  presented,  his  errors  never  could  have 
prevailed,  and  the  church  might  have  been  saved 
from  his  corruptions. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century,  Moham- 
med appeared,  professing  to  have  direct  intercourse 
witli  lien  von,  and  to  make  new  revelations  for  the 
benefit  of  the  world.  The  story  of  his  life  and  suc- 
cesses need  not  be  told  here.    For  the  last  thousand 


58 


swedexborgiaxism:  examined. 


years,  his  iron  sway  has  been  extended  over  not  less 
than  a  fourth  of  the  entire  human  race.  Now  it  was 
objection  enough  to  Mohammed,  from  the  first,  that 
he  brought  with  him  no  proper  credentials.  The 
palpable  evidence  of  a  divine  mission,  which  was 
furnished  by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  by  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  he  failed  to  produce.  He  performed 
no  miracles.  He  could  perform  none.  Of  course  he 
should  not  have  been  listened  to  for  a  moment. 

In  more  modern  times,  we  have  had  numerous 
pretenders  to  divine  revelations.  AYe  have  had  a 
Bockholdt  and  a  Behmen  in  Germany;  Anne  Lee 
and  Joanna  Southcote,  in  England ;  and  Jemima 
Wilkinson,  Joseph  Smith,  and  others  of  less  name 
and  influence  in  our  own  country.  And  although, 
in  point  of  intellectual  and  moral  elevation,  Emanu- 
el Swedenborg  was  incomparably  superior  to  most 
of  the  individuals  here  named,  in  one  respect,  he 
falls  into  the  same  category.  Like  them,  he  pre- 
tended to  have  intercourse  with  angels,  and  to  de- 
liver messages  from  God ;  and  like  them  he  was 
destitute  of  the  proper  credentials.  He  wrought  no 
miracles.  He  neither  possessed,  nor  claimed  to  pos- 
sess, miraculous  powers.  He  failed  to  establish  his 
peculiar  claims  by  that  species  of  evidence,  which 
man  has  a  right  to  demand,  and  which  God  has  ever 
been  wont  to  give,  when  new,  independent,  and  im- 
portant revelations  were  to  be  made  to  the  world. 

Swedenborg  was  well  aware  that  his  claims  would 
be  obje  'ted  to,  on  the  ground  of  his  not  performing 


MIKACLES. 


59 


miracles.  Indeed,  he  icas  closely  questioned  on  this 
very  subject,  both  in  the  natural  and  the  spiritual 
world,  by  the  men  of  this  earth,  and  by  those  who 
had  gone  into  the  other  state.  And  the  reasons 
w  hich  he  assigned  for  the  absence  of  miracles,  I  feel 
constrained  to  say,  are  unfounded,  self-contradictory, 
and,  of  course,  unsatisfactory.  At  one  time,  he  tells 
us  that  "  miracles  force  men,  and  take  away  their 
free-agency  in  spiritual  things."  *  But  were  not  the 
hearers  of  our  Saviour  free-agents  ?  Were  they 
forced  ? 

But  the  apology  of  force  is  not  alone  relied  upon. 
The  opposite  one  of  inefficiency  is  sometimes  intro- 
duced. "  What  did  the  miracles  avail  in  Egypt,  or 
among  the  Jewish  nation,  who  nevertheless  crucified 
the  Lord  '?  So  it' the  Lord  were  to  appear  now  in  the 
sky,  attended  with  angels  and  trumpets,  it  would 
have  no  other  effect  than  it  had  then."  f 

It  is  not  denied  (as  it  can  not  be)  that  considera- 
ble numbers  were  convinced  in  consequence  of  the 
miracles  of  the  apostolic  age ;  but  then  it  is  urged, 
that  the  "  faith  produced  by  miracles  is  not  faith. 
There  is  nothing  rational  in  it,  still  less  spiritual ;  it 
being  merely  external,  without  any  internal  princi- 
ple.*' \  But  was  not  the  conversion  of  Paul,  which 
was  directly  in  consequence  of  a  miracle,  a  sound 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  501. 
t  Hobart's  Lite,  &c,  p.  44. 
%  Divine  Providence,  §  131. 


60 


SWEDENBOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


conversion  ?  Was  it  merely  an  external  change  ? 
Was  there  nothing  internal,  spiritual  in  it? 

Mohammed,  like  Swedenborg,  was  continually 
pressed  by  the  demand  "  Why  do  you  not  show  us 
a  sign  from  heaven  ?  Why  not  perform  miracles  ?  " 
And  the  shifts  to  which  Swedenborg  and  his  follow- 
ers resort,  strongly  remind  us  of  those  to  which  the 
prophet  of  Mecca  was  driven,  twelve  hundred  years 
ago.  "  The  infidels  say,  unless  a  sign  be  sent  down 
unto  him  from  his  Lord,  we  will  not  believe.  An- 
swer, Thou  art  commissioned  to  be  a  preacher  only, 
and  not  a  worker  of  miracles.  Verily  God  will  lead 
into  error  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  will  direct  unto 
himself  those  who  repent,  believe,  and  whose  hearts 
rest  securely  in  the  meditation  of  God.  Am  I  other 
than  a  man,  sent  as  an  apostle  ?  And  no  apostle 
hath  the  power  to  come  with  a  sign,  unless  by  the 
permission  of  God."  * 

*  Sale's  Koran,  chap.  13,  17. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OP  S¥E- 
DENBOEG,  CONTINUED. 

Objection  3. 

My  third  objection  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg  is 
based  on  his  treatment  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  In 
the  first  place,  he  rejects  nearly  one  half  of  the  Bible, 
as  not  having  been  written  by  inspiration,  and  as 
constituting  no  part  of  the  word  of  God.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  rejected  books  of  the  Old  Testament, 
viz :  Ruth,  the  first  and  second  books  of  Chronicles, 
Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther,  Job,  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes, 
and  the  Song  of  Solomon.  The  New  Testament  is 
all  rejected,  with  the  exception  of  the  four  Gospels 
and  the  Apocalypse.  These  rejected  portions  of  the 
Bible  are  regarded  as,  in  the  main,  good  and  useful 
productions,  but  not  as  possessing  a  divine  authority. 
They  are  the  word  of  man,  not  of  God.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  Mr.  Hindmarsh,  "  they  can  not  for  a  moment 
be  accounted  equal  to  the  other  books,  or  be  put  in 
competition  with  them,  for  want  of  those  infinitely 


(j-2 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


superior  prerogatives  which  must  ever  distinguish 
between  a  divine  and  a  human  production."*  The 
pretense  for  rejecting  the  books  above  named  is,  not 
that  there  is  any  historical  evidence  against  them, 
but  they  do  not  contain  the  hidden  or  mystical 
senses.  They  were  not  written  according  to  the 
alleged  science  of  correspondences. 

But  this  leads  me  to  say,  in  regard  to  the  other 
books  of  Scripture  —  those  which  Swedenborg  pvo- 
fesses  to  receive  —  that  he  adopts  such  principles  of 
interpretation  as  render  them  of  comparatively  little 
value.  The  obvious  sense  of  Scripture  —  that  which 
strikes  the  eye  and  affects  the  heart  of  the  common 
reader — is,  in  comparison*  of  small  account,  while 
the  utmost  importance  is  attached  to  certain  hidden, 
spiritual,  mystical  senses,  which,  so  far,  at  least,  as 
the  uninitiated  are  concerned,  seem  almost  entirely 
arbitrary.  Thus,  we  are  told  that  "by  a  garden,  a 
grove,  and  a  wood,  are  meant  wisdom,  intelligence, 
and  science ;  that  by  the  olive,  the  vine,  the  cedar, 
the  poplar,  and  the  oak,  are  meant  the  good  and 
truth  of  the  church,  under  the  different  characters 
of  celestial,  spiritual,  rational,  natural,  and  sensual ; 
that  by  a  lamb,  a  sheep,  a  goat,  a  calf,  and  an  ox,  are 
meant  innocence,  charity,  and  natural  affection  of 
different  degrees ;  that  by  mountains,  hills,  and  val- 
leys, are  meant  the  higher,  the  lower,  and  the  lowest 

*  Hindmarsh"s  Compendium,  p.  H.  Hobait's  Life  of  Swe- 
denborg, p  119. 


INTERPRETATION  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


63 


things  relating  to  the  church  ;  also,  that  by  Egypt  is 
signified  what  is  scientific ;  by  Assyria,  what  is  ra- 
tional ;  by  Edom,  what  is  natural ;  by  Moab,  the 
adulteration  of  good ;  by  the  children  of  Amnion, 
the  adulteration  of  truth  ;  by  the  Philistines,  faith 
without  charity;  by  Tyre  and  Sidon,  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  truth;  and  by  Gog,  external  worship 
without  internal."  * 

From  a  later  interpreter,  we  learn  that  earth, 
Adam,  Jerusalem,  tree,  signifies  the  church ;  that, 
blood,  light,  garden,  water,  signifies  truth ;  also,  that 
water,  in  some  connections,  signifies  falsehood  ;  that 
right-hand  denotes  "the  power  of  truth  from  love;" 
that  "  swords,  spears  and  bows  are  truths  fighting ; " 
that  "flesh  signifies  the  good  of  love  ;  "  that  "  a  white 
horse  signifies  a  clear  and  true  understanding  of  the 
word;"  that  "serpent  signifies  the  low  and  sensual 
principles  of  the  mind;"  that  "Egypt  denotes  the 
state  of  the  natural  man  ; "  that  Canaanites  are  "  false, 
infernal  principles;"  that  "figs  signify  good  works," 
&c.f 

To  help  forward  this  art  of  mystical  interpreta- 
tion, a  large  "Dictionary  of  Correspondences "  has 
been  compiled  —  most  necessary  "work,  certainly,  if 
this  method  of  interpretation  is  to  be  pursued,  and 
if  any  sense  or  consistency  were  discoverable  in  it. 
To  .show  my  readers  how  much  of  definiteness  and 

*  See  HinJmarsli's  Compcnd.  p.  132. 
t  Barrett's  Lectures,  pp.  200  —  324. 


64 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


certainty  attaches  to  this  method  of  interpretation, 
and  how  much  aid  is  to  be  expected  from  the  "  Dic- 
tionary of  Correspondences,"  I  present  them  with  the 
explanation  of  a  single  word,  and  that  the  first  in  the 
volume.  "Aaron;  a  mountain  of  strength.  The 
first  high  priest  of  the  Jews.  Aaron,  as  a  priest,  rep- 
resents the  Lord,  as  to  the  good  of  love.  Sometimes, 
he  represented,  in  the  ojmosite  sense,  idolatrous 
worship;  as  when  he  made  a  golden  calf  for  the 
children  of  Israel.  In  Ex.  4  : 14,  Aaron  denotes  the 
doctrine  of  good  and  truth.  The  garments  of  Aaron 
represented  the  spiritucd  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  ad- 
joined to  his  celestial  kingdom ;  and  since  that  ex- 
ists by  this,  therefore  it  is  said,  'that  the  wise  in 
heart  should  make  the  garments  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons.'  Ex.  38  :  3.  Aaron  represented  the  external  of 
the  church,  of  the  word,  and  of  worship.  Aaron  and 
his  sons  represented  the  Lord,  as  to  divine  good,  and 
as  to  divine  truth.  Aaron  and  his  garments  repre- 
sented the  superior  heavens,  thus  the  celestial  king- 
dom :  and  his  sons  and  their  garments,  the  inferior 
heavens,  thus  the  sp>iritual  kingdom?"1 

I  have  selected  this  word,  not  because  the  senses 
ascribed  to  it  are  more  various,  complicated  and 
strange  than  those  of  almost  any  other  word,  but 
simply  because  it  stands  first  in  the  volume.  And 
now  I  ask  any  candid,  intelligent  reader  what  use  he 
can  possibly  make  of  such  a  "Dictionary,"  or  such  a 
science  (for  strangely  enough  this  matter  of  corres- 


INTERPRETATION  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


65 


pondences  is  called  a  science)  in  the  interpretation 
of  the  sacred  volume.  Here  are  no  less  than  five 
distinct  senses  ascribed  to  the  simple  word  Aaron, 
aside  from  those  which  are  given  to  it  when  u?ed  in 
connection  with  sons,  garments,  and  son's  garments. 
Thus  Aaron  signifies  "  a  mountain  of  strength,"" 
which  is  a  mere  translation  of  the  word.  It  also 
signifies  "  the  Lord,  in  respect  to  the  good  of  love  ; " 
"idolatrous  worship;"  "the  doctrine  of  good  and 
truth  ; "  and  "  the  external  of  the  church,  of  the  word, 
and  of  worship." 

In  one  of  the  extracts  above  given,  Egypt  is  said 
to  signify  "what  is  scientific;"  in  the  other,  "Egypt 
denotes  the  state  of  the  natural  man."  In  the  Dic- 
tionary, neither  of  these  precise  senses  is  given  to 
the  word  Egypt,  but  we  have  six  other  senses,  all 
distinct  from,  and  some  the  opposites  of  each  other": 
In  the  extracts  above  given,  Assyria  signifies  "whal 
is  rational;"  Edom  "what  is  natural;"  the  right 
hand  denotes  "  the  power  of  truth  from  love ; "  and 
"figs  signify  good  works."  But  in  the  Dictionary, 
Assyria  "represents  the  external  or  natural  principle 
of  the  church."  Edom,  "the  Lord's  human  es- 
sence "  (also  five  or  six  other  different  senses) ;  the 
right  hand  "  signifies  the  all  of  man  as  to  intellect- 
ual power,  consequently  as  to  faith ; "  and  figs  are 
"the  natural  good  of  man,  in  conjunction  with  his 
spiritual  good."  * 

*  Mr.  Tulk,  in  his  "  Spiritual  Christianity,"  denies  that  *hf'd 
5 


G6 


SWEDE>~BORGIAXISM  EXAUXNTH:). 


If  my  readers  are  not  yet  satisfied  as  to  the  value 
of  this  kind  of  interpretation,  I  will  present  them 
with  some  choice,  continuous  specimens. 

In  reference  to  the  story  of  the  ark  being  sent 
home  by  the  Philistines  (1  Sam.  v  :  6),  Swedenborg 
observes :  "  The  Philistines  represent  those  who  ex- 
alt faith  above  charity ;  which  was  the  occasion  of 
their  continual  wars  with  the  Israelites,  who  repre- 
sent those  who  cherish  faith  in  union  with  charity. 
The  idol  Dagon  is  thfe  religion  of  those  who  are  rep- 
resented by  the  Philistines.  The  emerods  are  sym- 
bols of  the  appetites  of  the  natural  man,  which,  when 
separated  from  the  spiritual  affections,  are  unclean. 
The  mice,  by  which  the  land  was  devastated,  are  im- 
ages of  the  lust  of  destroying,  by  false  interpreta- 

"  has  been  a  single  Swedenborgian  writer,"  who  has  correctly 
understood  the  doctrine  of  correspondency.  Every  one,  he  says, 
"  has  either  dropped  all  notice  of  real  correspondency,  and  treated 
it  as  a  system  of  symbols,  or  has  merely  stated  the  fact  of  there 
being  an  intimate  connection  between  the  sign  and  the  thing  sig- 
nified, and  left  his  reader  to  discover,  as  well  as  he  could,  the 
reason."  This  same  author  —  who  seems  to  be  a  leader  among 
the  Xew  Church  brethren  —  affirms  that  the  language  of  Swe- 
denborg needs  to  be  spiritualized,  —  else,  he  says,  we  shall  be 
compelled  to  receive  greater  mysteries  in  the  New  Church  the- 
ology, than  those  from  which  we  have  escaped  in  the  Old,  pp.  10, 
16  —  o7.  We  honor  the  frankness  of  this  Mr.  Tulk.  At  the 
same  time,  we  are  anxious  to  know  where  this  labor  of  spiritual- 
izing is  to  end.  Swedenborg  spiritualizes  the  Scriptures  ;  and 
Mr.  Tulk  spiritualizes  Swedenborg  ;  and  the  next  improvement 
will  be  to  spiritualize  him. 


INTERPRETATION  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


07 


tion,  the  spiritual  nourishment  which  the  church 
derives  from  the  word  of  God.  The  emerods  of  gold 
exhibit  the  natural  appetites,  as  purified  and  made 
good.  The  golden  mice  signify  the  healing  of  the 
tendency  to  false  interpretation,  effected  by  admit- 
ting a  regard  to  goodness.  The  cows  are  types  of 
the  natural  man,  in  regard  to  such  good  qualities  as 
he  possesses.  Their  lowing  by  the  way  expresses 
the  repugnance  of  the  natural  man  to  the  process  of 
conversion.  And  the  offering  them  up  for  a  burnt 
offering  typifies  that  restoration  of  order  which  takes 
place  in  the  mind,  when  the  natural  affections  are 
submitted  to  the  Lord."  * 

The  story  of  the  forty  and  two  children  destroyed 
by  bears  (2  Kings  ii :  24)  is  thus  interpreted.  «  Eli- 
sha  represented  the  Lord,  as  to  the  word.  Baldness 
signifies  the  word,  devoid  of  its  literal  sense,  thus 
not  anything.  The  number  forty-two  signifies  blas- 
phemy. And  bears  signify  the  literal  sense  of  the 
word,  read  indeed,  but  not  understood."  f 

The  sealing  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  spoken  of  in 
Rev.  vii :  5  —  8,  Swedenborg  explains  as  follows :  — 
"Of  the  tribe  of  Judah  were  sealed  twelve  thousand 
—  signifies  celestial  love,  which  is  love  to  the  Lord, 
and  this  with  all  who  will  be  in  the  new  heaven,  and 
the  new  Church.  Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  were  seal- 
ed twelve  thousand  — signifies  wisdom  derived  from 
celestial  love,  with  them  who  are  there.     Of  the 


rue  Chris.  Religion,  §  203.     t  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  573. 


OS 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


tribe  of  Gad  were  sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies 
uses  of  life,  derived  from  that  love,  with  those  who 
were  there.  Of  the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand  —  signifies  mutual  love  with  them.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Xaphthalim  were  sealed  twelve  thousand 
—  signifies  a  perception  of  use,  and  what  use  is  with 
them.  Of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand  —  signifies  the  will  of  serving,  aud  of  action 
with  them.  Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand  —  signifies  spiritual  love,  which  is 
love  towards  the  neighbor  with  them.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Levi  were  sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies  the 
affection  of  truth  derived  from  good,  from  whence 
comes  intelligence  with  them.  Of  the  tribe  of  Issa- 
char  were  sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies  s;ood 
of  life  with  them.  Of  the  tribe  of  Zebulon  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies  the  conjugial  love 
of  good  and  truth  with  them.  Of  the  tribe  of  Jo- 
seph were  sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies  the 
doctrine  of  good  and  truth  with  them.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin  were  sealed  twelve  thousand  —  signifies 
the  life  of  truth  according  to  doctrine  with  them."* 

My  readers,  I  am  sure,  will  not  require  any  further 
specimens  of  this  kind  of  interpretation ;  although  it 
would  be  easy  to  multiply  them  to  almost  any  ex- 
tent. 

To  this  method  of  interpreting  Scripture  —  this 
taking  of  plain,  common  words,  and  attaching  to 


*  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  Ml. 


INTERP1USTATION  OF  SCKIPTUEE. 


60 


them  new  and  hidden  senses  —  the  most  weighty 
objections  may  be  urged.  To  ordinary  minds,  these 
senses,  as  I  said,  seem  nearly,  if  not  wholly,  arbi- 
trary. Without  doubt,  there  is  a  sufficient  resem- 
blance or  analogy  between  certain  external  and  in- 
ternal objects,  to  lay  a  foundation  for  the  use  of 
metaphors,  comparisons  and  other  figures  of  speech. 
But  the  language  of  the  Bible  is  not  wholly  figura- 
tive, much  less  has  it,  throughout,  the  hidden  senses 
which  Swedeuborgians  ascribe  to  it.  The  very  fact 
that  these  ai-e  said  to  be  hidden  senses  implies  that 
there  are  no  obvious  resemblances  on  which  they  are 
founded ;  and  in  attempting  to  trace  such  resem- 
blances or  correspondences,  as  in  the  examples  above 
given,  there  is  a  necessity  for  substituting  numerous 
meanings,  which  are  wholly  arbitrary.  A  garden,  a 
grove,  a  wood,  the  olive,  the  vine,  the  cedar,  the 
poplar,  and  half  the  other  words  contained  in  the 
"  Dictionary  of  Correspondences,"  may  be  made 
either  of  them  to  denote  twenty  things,  with  just  as 
much  propriety  as  those  things  which  they  are  said 
to  signify. 

This  method  of  interpretation  is,  moreover,  unrea- 
sonable. If  one  of  the  inspired  writers  had  occasion, 
for  example,  to  speak  of  science,  why  did  he  not  use 
the  common  word  science?  Why  use  the  word 
Egypt  to  denote  science,  when  the  proper  word 
might  be  used  just  as  well.  Besides,  in  one  of  the 
extracts  above  given,  we  are  told  that  a  wood  signi- 


70 


SWEDENBOBGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


ties  science.  Here,  then,  we  have  Egypt  and  a  wood 
both  signifying  the  same  thing,  and  signifying  that 
to  which  neither  of  them  has  the  least  obvious  anal- 
ogy or  affinity.  And  if  "Egypt  signifies  what  is 
scientific,  and  Assyria  what  is  rational,  and  Edom 
what  is  natural,  and  the  Philistines  faith  without 
charity,"  in  the  books  of  the  Kings,  why  should  they 
not  signify  the  same  in  the  books  of  Chronicles  ? 
And  why  must  the  Chronicles  be  set  aside,  as  not 
admitting  of  the  mystical  interpretation,  while  the 
kindred  books  of  Samuel  and  the  Bangs  are  retained  ? 

"Will  it  be  said  that  the  books  of  the  Chronicles 
are  set  aside,  because  they  are  filled  up,  to  so  great 
an  extent  with  proper  names  ?  But  proper  names, 
with  Swedenborg,  are  among  the  most  fruitful 
sources  of  spiritual  instruction.  "Adam,  Sheth, 
Enoch,  Kenan,  Mahalaleel,  Jared,"  all  have  a  spirit- 
ual import  assigned  them  in  the  book  of  Genesis ; 
and  why  should  they  not  have  the  same  in  the  first 
book  of  the  Chronicles? 

I  object  farther  to  this  method  of  interpretation, 
that  it  puts  it  into  the  power  of  ingenious,  fanciful, 
designing  men,  to  make  anything  or  nothing  of  the 
Scriptures,  as  they  please.  The  revelations  of  God 
are  made  to  us  through  the  medium  of  icords  — 
words  used  in  their  ordinary  and  established  senses, 
as  understood  at  the  time  when  the  revelations  were 
delivered.  If  now  we  break  in  upon  the  established 
meaning  of  words,  and  use  them  in  new,  strange, 


INTERPRETATION  OP  SCRIPTURE. 


71 


unauthorized  senses,  we  destroy  the  medium  through 
which  revelation  comes  to  us,  and  thereby  nullify 
revelation  itself.  The  Bible  is  no  longer  a  safe  guide 
in  matters  of  religion,  because  nothing  can  be  deter- 
mined by  it.  To  be  sure,  there  are  many  good  words 
in  the  Bible,  but  then  each  of  these  words  may 
mean  some  half  a  dozen  things ;  and  if  any  do  not 
like  either  of  these  meanings,  they  may,  with  the 
same  propriety,  add  half  a  dozen  more. 

I  know  it  is  said,  that  the  spiritual  senses  of  Swe- 
denborg  are  founded  on  correspondences,  and  that 
correspondences,  with  him,  have  all  the  precision 
and  exactness  of  a  science.  But  an  hour's  attention 
to  the  "Dictionary  of  Correspondences"  is  enough 
to  refute  this  pretense  forever.  *  Indeed,  it  is  suffi- 
ciently refuted,  in  the  extracts  from  Swedenborg 
which  have  been  given.  We  have  seen  him,  not  only 
using  words  in  the  most  strange  and  arbitrary  senses, 
but  dropping  these  senses  at  pleasure,  and  substitut- 
ing others,  and  frequently  setting  all  sense  and  con- 
sistency at  defiance. 

The  history  of  allegorical,  mystical  interpretation 
is  highly  instructive,  and  goes  to  confirm  the  views 

*  Correspondence  is  denned  to  be  "  the  connexion  between  spi- 
ritual causes,  and  natural  effects."  Thus,  "  a  city,  a  chariot,  a 
bow,  each  signifies  a  doctrine."  Hence,  "  a  doctrine  is  a  cause, 
one  effect  of  which  is  a  chariot,"  another  a  city,  another  a  bow. 
See  Tulk's  Spiritual  Christianity,  p.  9.  But  how  a  doctrine  can 
be  the  producing  cause  of  a  chariot,  a  city,  or  a  bow,  I  leave  to 
the  advocates  of  the  pretended  science  of  correspondences  to 
explain. 


n 


SWEDEN BORGIANI.S1I   EX  A  M 1 X  ED. 


which  have  been  presented.  We  first  find  it  among 
the  old  Hindoo  and  Grecian  philosophers,  who  at- 
tempted to  allegorize  the  fables  of  their  mythology, 
and  draw  out  from  them  lessons  of  wisdom.  We 
next  find  it  among  the  Alexandrian  Jews,  before  the 
commencement  of  the  Christian  era.  Many  of  these 
Jews  had  become  philosophers ;  and  by  the  philoso- 
phy of  the  times  had  sadly  corrupted  their  religion. 
They  had  so  corrupted  it,  that  they  found  it  impossi- 
ble to  support  it  by  a  fair  interpretation  of  their 
sacred  books.  Their  religious  systems  and  their 
Bibles  would  not  go  together.  It  was  in  this  dilemma 
that  they  resorted  to  the  expedient  of  interpreting 
their  Scriptures  mystically,  allegorically.  By  under- 
valuing and  decrying  the  obvious  sense  of  Scripture, 
and  searching  after  hidden,  fanciful  meanings,  they 
were  able  to  reconcile  their  Bibles  to  any  system  of 
philosophy  which  their  inclinations  led  them  to 
adopt. 

Precisely  the  same  causes  operated  to  give  cur- 
rency to  this  kind  of  interpretation  in  the  Christian 
church.  The  learned  teachers  at  Alexandria,  and  in 
some  other  of  the  Eastern  cities,  assumed  the  char- 
acter, the  name,  and  the  peculiar  garb  of  philoso- 
phers. Their  religion  was  a  divine  philosophy.  By 
the  mingling  of  heathen  philosophy,  the  pure  Chris- 
tian system  was  soon  corrupted  ;  and  then  the  alle- 
gorical interpretations  must  be  introduced,  to  recon- 
cile the  gospel  to  the  new  and  strange  dogmas  which 
were  entertained. 


IN'TKUPlUiTATION   OF  SCK1PTUKE. 


73 


I  do  not  say  that  Swedenborg  borrowed  his  inter- 
pretations from  those  of  Origen  and  his  school, 
though  there  is  a  remarkable  similarity  between 
them,  *  and  some  of  his  followers  speak  of  the  alle- 
gorizers  of  antiquity  as  his  exemplars,  and  mention 
them  with  high  honor,  f  Neither  do  I  say  that  he  was 
influenced  by  the  same  motives  with  them,  to  adopt 
their  methods  of  interpretation.  I  am  willing  to 
believe  that  he  meant  to  honor  the  inspired  word, 
attributing  to  it  a  secret,  spiritual  sense  ;  and  that 

*  Origen  like  Swedenborg,  taught  that  there  is  "a  two-fold 
world,  a  visible  a«d  an  invisible,  and  that  the  one  is  emblematic 
of  the  other."  "The  heavenly,  mystical  world  is  above,  and 
corresponds  in  all  its  parts  with  the  lower  world,  which  was 
formed  after  its  model."  Here  is  the  radical  principle  of  Swe- 
denborg's  whole  system  of  correspondences.  Origen  further  taught, 
like  Swedenborg,  that  "  the  Scriptures  resemble  man.  As  man 
consists  of  three  parts,  a  rational  mind,  a  sensitive  soul,  and  a 
visible  body  ;  so  the  Scriptures  have  a  three-fold  sense,"  a.literal, 
a  moral,  and  a  mystical  or  spiritual ;  or,  as  Swedenborg  states 
it,  a  literal,  a  spiritual,  and  a  celestial.  In  their  endeavors  to 
exalt  the  hidden  sense,  or  senses,  both  Origen  and  Swedenborg 
were  led  to  depreciate  the  literal  sense.  Some  portions  of  Scrip- 
ture, they  both  said,  have  no  literal  sense  or  meaning  whatever. 
There  are  af«o  quite  as  much  precision  and  system  in  Origen's  in- 
terpretations, as  in  those  of  Swedenborg.  Indeed,  in  many  in- 
stances, they  are  much  the  same.  Compare  his  Homilies  on  Gen- 
esis and  Exodus,  with  Swedenborg's  Commentaries  on  the  same 
hooks,  in  his  Arcana  Celestia.  See  also  Mosheim's  Comment,  de 
Rebus  Christianorum,  p  629,  &c. 

t  See  Preface  to  Arcana  Celestia,  vol.  1.  Edition  of  1794.  Also 
Noble  on  Inspiration,  pp.  63 — 66,  388.  Also  Barrett's  Lectures, 
p.  16-1. 


74 


SWBDKNBOKG1AHISM  EXAMINED. 


his  followers,  in  general,  mean  the  same.  But  I  am 
constrained  in  all  sincerity  to  say,  that  I  think  their 
system  goes  well  nigh  to  destroy  the  Scriptures. 
They  reject  nearly  one  half  of  our  sacred  hooks, 
"while  their  principles  of  interpretation  goto  confuse, 
and  render  almost  valueless,  the  other  half. 

But  I  hare  still  other  objections  to  the  system  of 
Swedenhorg,  in  its  bearing  upon  the  holy  Scriptures. 
It  leads  those  w  ho  adopt  it,  not  only  to  undervalue 
the  plain,  obvious  sense  of  the  Bible,  but  to  decry  it, 
speak  evil  of  it,  and  treat  it  much  after  the  manner 
of  infidels.  This  assertion  I  might  justify  by  nu- 
merous quotations,  but  I  need  only  refer  to  the  lec- 
tures of  Mr.  Barrett.  He  not  only  insists,  but  en- 
deavors at  considerable  length  to  show,  that  the 
sacred  "writers,  according  to  the  literal  and  obvious 
meaning  of  their  words,  contradict  each  other  palpa- 
bly and  often ;  that  they  contradict  credible  history 
and  the  teachings  of  true  science ;  that  they  contain 
many  things  which  are  of  an  immoral  character  and 
tendency,  and  utterly  unworthy  of  God  to  reveal.  * 

Such  then  is  the  character,  and  such  the  fruits  of 
the  mystical,  allegorizing  method  of  interpretation, 
such  they  have  always  been.    These  principles  of 

*  See  Barrett's  Lectures,  pp-  122 — 130.  Also  Xoble  on  Inspi- 
ration, Lectures  Land  VL  It  is  remarkable  that  Mr.  Barrett's 
objections  to  the  literal  sense  of  Scripture  are,  in  general,  the 
same  that  were  urged,  years  ago,  by  Thomas  Paine,  against  the 
Scriptures  themselves  ;  and  a  full  answer  to  them  may  be  found 
in  the  several  Replies  which  were  then  given  to  Paine's  "  Age  of 
Reason." 


INTERPRETATION  OF  SCRIPTURK. 


76 


interpretation  lead  those  who  adopt  them  to  speak 
disparagingly  of  the  literal  and  proper  sense  of  the 
Scriptures,  at  the  same  time,  they  go  to  unsettle  and 
confound  their  meaning,  and  render  them  compara- 
tively valueless. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OF  SWE- 
DENBORG  CONTINUED. 

Objection  4. 

My  next  objection  to  the  system  of  Swedenborg 
is,  that  he  discards  much  important  Scriptural  truth, 
and  inculcates  on  many  points,  essential  error.  Al- 
though much  of  this  may  be  gathered  from  the  gen- 
eral statement  of  doctrine  exhibited  in  chapter  II. 
it  will  still  be  necessary,  to  go  into  the  subject  more 
particularly. 

1.  Swedenborg  denies  the  Christian  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  insisting  that  the  one  God  exists  in  one 
person  only,  and  that  this  person  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  He  speaks,  indeed,  of  a  kind  of  Trinity ; 
but  his  Trinity  is  entirely  and  confessedly  different 
from  the  commonly  received  doctrine,  which  he  ev- 
ery where  repudiates  with  abhorrence. 

2.  Rejecting  the  Trinity,  Swedenborg  must  of  ne- 
cessity, reject  the  personality,  and  appropriate  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.    The  Holy  Spirit,  he  says,  is 


ANGELS. 


77 


"  the  divine  love  and  the  divine  wisdom,  proceeding 
from  the  Lord  as  a  sun,  and  causing  light  and  heat 
in  heaven."  Swedenborg  taught  that  "the  influ- 
ence which  is  usually  referred  directly  to  the  Spirit 
of  God,  is  imparted  through  the  intermediate  agency 
of  created  spirits,  whose  nature  it  is  to  flow  into  oth- 
er spirits,  and  thus  form  them  to  the  reception  of 
good  and  truth."  * 

3.  Swedenborg  denies  the  existence  of  angels,  both 
the  holy  and  the  fallen,  as  an  order  of  beings  dis- 
tinct from  men  and  superior  to  them.  "The  inhab- 
itants of  heaven,  as  well  as  those  of  hell,  are  all  of 
the  human  race,  without  a  single  exception.  The 
general  opinion,  that  angels  were  originally  create  1 
such,  and  placed  immediately  in  heaven,  without 
having  first  lived  as  men  in  the  natural  world,  and 
that  many  of  them  afterwards  rebelled,  and  were  cast 
down  from  heaven,  together  with  the  instigator  and 
leader  of  the  insurrection,  has  no  foundation  what- 
ever in  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Every  man,  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  his  life  in  the  world,  becomes, 
after  death,  either  an  angel  or  a  devil ;  an  angel,  if 
his  life  has  been  good,  but  a  devil,  if  his  life  has  been 
evil."  f 

4.  According  to  the  system  of  Swedenborg,  our 
Saviour  had-  no  human  soul,  and,  of  course,  was  not 

*  See  Bush's  Swedenborgian  Library,  p.  50,  Divine  Love  and 
Wisdom,  §  150.    Doctrine  of  the  Lord,  §  46. 
t  &.T  Flindmarah's  Compendium,  p.  104. 


SWEDEJfBORGIJLSlSM  EXAillXED. 


properly  a  human  being.  "  There  was  this  differ- 
ence," says  Mr.  Noble,  "between  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  while  in  a  body  of  flesh  on  earth,  and  all  or- 
dinary men ;  that  whereas  they  take  then-  soul,  or 
spiritual  part,  from  a  human  father,  Jesus  Christ, 
haTing  no  father  but  the  Divine  Father,  had  his  soul, 
or  internal  part,  from  the  divine  essence ;  and  as 
the  divine  essence  is  incapable  of  division,  the  divine 
essence  itself,  or  the  Father,  icas  in  fact  his  soul  or 
internal  part ;  while  his  body,  or  external  part,  in- 
cluding the  affections  of  the  natural  man,  was  all 
that  he  took  from  his  mother."  Again  ;  "whilst  the 
human  form  which  the  Lord  assumed  by  birth  of  the 
virgin,  necessarily  partook,  at  first,  of  her  infirmities, 
its  soul  teas  no  other  than  the  invisible  Jehovah."  * 

5.  Although  Christ  is  represented  as  having  no 
human  soul,  yet,  strange  to  tell,  he  is  also  represent- 
ed as  having  been  subject,  while  here  on  earth,  to 
great  moral  impurities  and  imperfections.  The  lit- 
eral David  of  the  Old  Testament  was,  in  the  spiritual 
sense  of  Swedenborg,  the  Christ  /  and  accordingly, 
he  interprets  the  Psalms  of  David  —  his  supplica- 
tions, misgivings,  confessions,  complaints  —  as  no 
other  than  the  language  of  Christ.  Thus  David's 
confession  of  sin,  in  the  thirty-second  Psalm,  is  rep- 
resented by  Swedenborg  as  the  Lord's  "  confession 
of  infirmities."  And  so  the  fifty-first  Psalm,  from 
the  first  to  the  seventh  verse,  is  a  a  prayer  of  the 


*  Noble's  Appeal,  pp.  388,  414 


INFIRMITIES  AND  IMPERFECTIONS. 


79 


Lord,  that  he  may  be  purified  from  the  infirmities 
which  he  had  inherited  from  his  mother."  *  I  can 
hardly  see  why  the  equivocal  word  infirmities  should 
have  been  used  here.  In  the  Psalms  referred  to, 
there  is  a  humble  confession  of  sin  ;  and  if  the  lan- 
guage is  Christ's,  then  he  confessed  his  sins. 

The  language  of  Swedenborg's  followers  on  this 
subject  is  even  less  guarded  than  his  own.  Mr.  Reed 
says,  "  As  our  Lord  was  born  of  a  woman,  he  inher- 
ited from  her  the  evils  of  the  Jewish  nation."  f 

Mr.  Noble  speaks  of  the  infirmities  and  imperfec- 
tions which  our  Lord  inherited  from  his  mother,  f 
Mr.  Barrett  teaches  that  Christ  assumed  "  humanity, 
with  all  its  evil  loves  and  false  persuasions  ;  and  as 
to  that  humanity,  put  himself  in  every  possible  state 
that  man  ever  has  been  in,  or  can  be."  Following 
Christ  "must  mean,  that  we  are  to  fight  against  and 
remove  the  evils  and  fhlses  appertaining  to  our  nat- 
ural man,  as  he  fought  against  and  removed  the  evils 
and  falses  which  appertained  to  his  natural  or  as- 
sumed humanity"  Again,  " the  steps  by  Avhich  the 
Lord  glorified  his  human  were  a  series  of  temptation 

*  Summary  Exposition,  &c.,  pp.  75,  79.  Mr.  Noble  repre- 
sents our  Saviour  as  in  doubt,  at  times,  whether  he  could  ever  ac- 
complish the  work  of  human  salvation.  Appeal,  p.  391.  And 
Swedenborg  repeatedly  represents  him  as  in  despair.  He  inter- 
prets no  less  than  fourteen  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  re- 
ferring to  our  Lord's  "  temptations,  even  to  despair  ".' .'  See 
Summary  Exposition,  &c,  p.  129. 

t  Growth  of  Mind,  p.  157. 


80  SWEDEXBOBGIAXISil  EXAMINED. 

combats,  or  a  constant  warfare  against  those  lxfer- 
nal  principles,  of  which  his  maternal  humanity 
was  full."  "  His  assumed  human  nature,  like  the 
human  nature  of  other  men,  was  by  iuheritance  full 
of  impure  and  unhallowed  principles,  which  need- 
ed to  be  subdued,  or  put  away."  Speaking  of  Christ 
after  his  resurrection,  Mr.  Barrett  says,  "He  had 
put  off  all  the  impurities  that  ajipertain  to  men  on 
earth,  but  there  were  impurities  of  a  more  subtle  and 
interior  nature,  such  as  appertain  to  spirits  and  an- 
gels, which  had  not  yet  been  wholly  put  off."  *  I 
have  quoted  the  more  largely  in  regard  to  the  alleg- 
ed impurity  and  imperfection  of  our  Lord's  human 
nature,  because  I  apprehend  there  is  no  point  of  Swe- 
denborgian  divinity,  which  will  appear  so  strange 
and  shocking  to  the  whole  Christian  world  as  this. 
That  immaculate  personage,  who  is  declared  by  the 
apostles  to  have  been  "  holy,  harmless,  undefiled  — 
without  blemish  and  without  spot,"  is  here  repre- 
sented as  under  the  influence  of  "■evil  loves  and  false 
persuasions"  —  as  '•'■not  yet  pure  and  holy" — as 
"full  of  impure,  unhallowed,  and  even  of  infernal 
principles  "  /  / 

6.  The  Scriptures  represent  the  sins  of  men  as  in 
some  way  way  connected  with  the  fall  of  their  first 
parents.  "By  the  offense  of  one,  judgment  came 
upon  all  men  to  condemnation.  By  one  marts  dis- 
obedience, many  were  made  sinners."  Rom.  v  :  18, 
19.    But  according  to  Swedenborg,  the  sins  and  cor- 

*  Lecture?,  pp.  30o,  319  —  321,  302. 


PREDESTINATION. 


81 


ruplions  of  men  are  in  no  way  connected  with  the 
fall  of  Adam,  but  with  the  sins  of  their  immediate 
progenitors.  "  The  origins  whence  sins  are  heredi- 
tarily derived,  are  as  many  as  there  are  fathers  and 
mothers  in  the  world."  "  What  reason  for  deducing 
the  origin  of  all  evils  from  Adam  and  his  seed?  Is 
there  not  equal  reason  to  derive  it  from  parents  ? 
Does  not  their  seed,  in  like  manner,  propagate  itself? 
Whence  does  each  derive  his  peculiar  disposition, 
but  from  his  father  and  mother  ?  Why  then  is  it  to 
be  traced  to  Adam,"  —  a  personage  who,  according 
to  Swedenborg,  never  lived,  but  "  by  whom  is  de- 
noted the  first  church  upon  the  earth  ?  "  * 

7.  To  the  doctrine  of  predestination  or  election,  as 
set  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  SAvedenborg  and  his  fol- 
lowers are  exceedingly  opposed.  "Predestination 
is  a  birth,  conceived  and  brought  forth  from  the  faith 
of  the  j>resent  church ;  because  it  originates  in  a  be- 
lief of  instantaneous  salvation  by  an  immediate  act 
of  mercy,  and  in  a  belief  that  man  has  not  the  small- 
est degree  of  ability  or  free-will  in  spiritual  things. 
Predestination  follows  from  these  tenets,  as  one  fiery 
serpent  from  another,  or  one  spider  from  another."  f 
Mr.  Hargrove  represents  predestination  as  "  the  last 
rattle  in  the  tail  of  the  great  red  dragon,  which 
standeth  before  the  woman  "  (or  the  New  Church) 
"  ready  to  devour  her  man  child."  J 

*  Appendix  to  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  35. 
t  Brief  Exposition,  &c,  §  66. 
t  Sermon,  &c,  p.  20. 


82 


SWEDEXB0EGIAX1SM  EXAMINED. 


8.  Swedenborg  denies  the  proper  atonement  of 
Christ,  as  consisting  in  his  vicarious  sufferings  and 
death.  That  this  is  true,  no  reader  of  his  theologi- 
cal works  can  for  a  moment  doubt.  But  to  set  forth 
his  real  views  on  the  important  subject  of  man's  re- 
demption is  not  so  easy  a  task.  Perhaps  the  most 
unexceptionable  mode  of  attempting  the  thing,  will 
be  to  let  him  and  his  followers  speak  for  themselves. 
"  The  first  act  of  redemption,"  says  he,  "  was  the  sub- 
jugation of  the  hells.  The  second  act  of  redemp- 
tion was  the  separation  of  the  evil  from  the  good, 
the  casting  of  the  evil  into  hell,  and  the  raising  of 
the  good  to  heaven.  Afterwards  followed  the  re- 
duction of  all  to  order  in  hell,  and  of  all  to  order  in 
heaven ;  also  instructions  concerning  truths  which 
will  be  of  faith,  and  in  goods  which  will  be  of  chari- 
ty, and  thus  the  establishment  of  a  new  church."* 
Again  :  "  The  Lord  came  into  the  world,  to  reduce  to 
order  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  and  this 
was  effected  by  spiritual  combats  against  the  hells, 
which  at  that  time  infested  every  man  on  his  en- 
trance into  this  world  and  departure  out  of  it."  t 
Mr.  Hindmarsh  says,  "  The  work  of  redemption  did 
not  consist  in  the  Son's  offering  himself  as  a  sacrifice 
in  the  room  of  mankind  ;  "  but  "in  the  actual  subju- 
gation of  the  powers  of  darkness,  in  the  orderly  ar- 
rangement of  the  heavens,  and  in  the  consequent 

*  General  Summary,  pp.  29 —  33. 
t  Doctrine  of  the  Lord,  §  1-4. 


CIIKIST's  -MISSION. 


83 


foundation  of  a  new  spiritual  church  un  earth."* 
Mr.  Cliesold  says,  "  Since  the  atonement  wrought 
by  Jesus  Christ  was  no  other  than  the  reconciliation 
of  the  human  nature  to  the  divine,  so  this  reconcili- 
ation was  a  progressive  work,  which  was  finally  com- 
pleted by  the  passion  of  the  cross.  Jesus  Christ  is 
our  great  archetype,  our  exemplar,  which  we  are  to 
follow.  We  are,  therefore,  called  upon  to  work  in 
ourselves,  in  our  human  nature,  the  same  kind  of 
work  which  he  wrought  in  his  ;  he  after  an  infinite 
manner,  we  after  a  finite."  f  Mr.  Barrett  says ; 
"Christ  came  into  this  natural  world  in  a  bodily 
form  ;  clothed  himself  with  the  natural  humanity — 
defiled,  borne  down  and  oppressed  with  evils  of  all 
kinds,  as  that  humanity  was ;  and  by  degrees  puri- 
fied it  from  all  its  defilements,  and  filled  every  re- 
gion of  it  with  his  own  divinity.  Thus  he  glorified 
that  humanity,  or  made  it  divine.  He  came  as  the 
Word  —  as  truth  divine  or  the  Son;  and  by  a  series 
of  temptation  combats,  he  successively  united  that 
truth  with  love  divine,  or  the  Father,  in  the  assum- 
ed humanity ;  that  so  he  might  thenceforward,  be 
able  to  unite  truth  in  the  understanding  with  love 
in  the  will,  in  the  minds  of  all  men  who  will  permit 
him  to  do  so ;  and  in  this  way  gradually  lead  men 
back  to  their  original  happy  state  of  conjunction 
with  the  Lord,  which  is  heavenly  and  eternal  life."  + 

*  Compendium,  p.  26. 
t  Letter  &c.  p.  47. 
\  Lectures,  p.  301 


» 


84  SWEDEN'KOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

I  have  presented  these  extracts,  that  my  readers 
might  have  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborgian  redemp- 
tion set  before  them  in  the  words  of  its  own  teach- 
ers. I  am  not  sure  the  language  will  all  be  an- 
derstood,  or  that  I  could  rightly  explain  it,  if  I 
should  make  the  attempt.  It  is  obvious  enough, 
however,  that  the  process  of  redemption,  according 
to  Swedenborg,  is  entirely  different  from  that  of 
the  Scriptures,  as  these  are  understood  by  evangel- 
ical Christians. 

9.  The  regeneration  which  Swedenborg  inculcates 
is  a  gradual,  and  not  an  instantaneous  work,  —  a  pro- 
gressive improvement  of  moral  and  religious  charac- 
ter. "  The  regeneration  of  a  man,"  says  he,  "  is  not 
effected  in  a  moment,  but  successively,  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  life  in  the  world  :  and  after 
that,  it  is  continued  and  perfected."  "  Those  who 
conceive  otherwise  of  regeneration  do  not  know  any- 
thing concerning  charity  and  faith."  * 

10.  Justification  by  faith  is  another  of  the  great 
doctrines  of  revelation,  Avhich  Swedenborg  impugns 
and  rejects.  "  The  popular  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith,"  says  Mr.  Clissold,  "  is  one  which  we  con- 
sider contrary  to  God's  word,  and  contrary  to  the 
real  nature  and  constitution  of  things."  f  Mr.  Par- 
sons calls  it,  "  the  dreadful  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
faith  alone,"  which  "the  Reformers  placed  in  the 

*  True  Christian  Religion,  §  610,  586. 
t  Letter  &c. ,  p.  49. 


THE  INTERMEDIATE  STATE. 


So 


center  of  their  religion.  It  stood  there,  with  all  its 
deformity  undisguised,  all  its  power  to  wound  and 
slay  unmitigated.  It  stood  there  as  the  abomination 
Of  desolation,  in  the  very  sanctuary  of  the  temple."* 
u  Let  every  one  beware,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  of  this 
heresy,  that  man  is  justified  by  faith  toithout  the 
deeds  of  the  law  /  for  he  who  is  in  it  and  does  not 
fully  recede  from  it  before  life  ends,  after  death  con- 
sociates  with  infernal  genii  /  for  they  are  the  goats 
concerning  whom  the  Lord  says ;  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire."  f 

SAvedenborg  held  the  unscriptural  doctrine  of  an 
intermediate  state,  between  heaven  and  hell,  into 
which  (with  few  exceptions)  the  souls  of  men  de- 
part at  death,  and  where  they  remain  for  a  time,  be- 
fore entering  on  the  awards  of  eternity.  I  call  this 
an  unscriptural  doctrine ;  for  I  find  not  a  particle 
of  evidence  in  support  of  it,  in  either  the  Old  Testa- 
ment or  the  New.  And  Mr.  Bush  is  of  the  same 
opinion.  "  That  we  have  no  express  disclosures  of 
the  conditions  of  this  state  in  the  Scriptures,"  says 
he,  "  is  not  a  valid  argument  against  the  truth  of 
Swedenborg's  representations ;  for  it  is  impossible  to 

*  Essays,  p.  163. 

t  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  838  In  another  place  Swedenborg 
denominates  tlie  clergy  who  preach  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  "  Abaddons  and  Apollyons — "angels  of  the  abyss." 
They  "  are  Leviathans,  crooked  Leviathans,  whom  the  Lord  will 
visit  with  his  hard  and  great  sword.  True  Chris.  Religion, 
§  182. 


86 


SWEDEXBORGIA.NISM  EXAMINED. 


show  that  there  may  not  be  truths  in  regard  to  our 
future  existence  which  are  not  revealed  in  the  Bi- 
ble." *  Mr.  Bush  had  forgotten,  when  he  penned 
this  sentence,  that  it  is  one  of  the  canons  of  the  New 
Church  theology,  that  "  all  doctrines  must  be  drawn 
and  proved,  and  all  controversies  decided  by  the  lit- 
eral sense  of  the  word."  f 

The  intermediate  state  of  Swedenborg,  he  denom- 
inates "  the  spiritual  world,"  or  "  world  of  spirits ; " 
and  no  inconsiderable  part  of  his  revelations  has  res- 
pect to  transactions  here.  "  There  are  three  states," 
he  says,  "  through  which  a  man  passes  after  death, 
previous  to  his  coming  either  into  heaven,  or  into 
hell.  The  first  state  is  that  of  his  exteriors  y  the  sec- 
ond is  that  of  his  interiors  y  and  the  third  is  that  of 
his  preparation  y  all  which  states  man  passes  through 
in  the  world  of  spirits.  The  first  state  of  man  after 
death  is  similar  to  his  state  in  this  world.  He  has  a 
similar  face,  similar  speech,  and  a  similar  mind ; 
hence  it  is  that  he  then  knows  no  other  than  that  he 
is  still  in  the  world ;  unless  he  adverts  to  those 
things  which  present  themselves,  and  to  what  is  told 
him  by  the  angels,  that  he  is  now  a  spirit."  "  The 
second  state  of  man  after  death  is  called  the  state  of 
the  interiors  y  because  he  is  then  let  into  the  interi- 
ors, which  are  of  his  mind,  or  of  the  will  and  thought; 

*  Swedenborg  Library,  p.  46. 

t  Noble  on  Inspiration,  p.  SO.  See  also  True  Christ.  Relig- 
ion, §  229.    Div.  Providence,  §  256. 


RESCRRECT10X. 


87 


and  the  exteriors  in  which  he  had  been  in  his  first 
state,  are  laid  asleep."  It  is  in  this  state,  that  the 
peal  character  of  the  man  is  developed,  and  it  comes 
to  be  seen  for  what  world  he  is  preparing.  "  The 
third  state  of  man  after  death  is  a  state  of  instruc- 
tion. This  state  appertains  to  those  who  come  into 
heaven,  and  become  angels,  but  not  to  those  who 
come  into  hell ;  since  these  latter  cannot  be  instruct- 
ed." 

VI.  Swedenborg  denied  the  doctrine  of  the  future 
resurrection  of  the  body,  holding  that  man  is  raised, 
as  to  his  spirit,  shortly  after  death,*  and  that  the 
body  returns  to  dust,  to  live  no  more.  "  It  is  the 
common  belief,"  says  Mr.  Hindmarsh,  "  that  the  ma- 
terial body  which  is  committed  to  the  grave,  will  rise 
again  at  the  day  of  judgment;"  but  this,  he  goes  on 
to  say,  is  "  a  vain  idea."  "  The  external  (the  body) 
is  rejected  at  death,  and  being  no  longer  needful,  is 
never  re-assumed."  f 

13.  The  Scriptures  assure  us  that  this  earth,  as  to 
its  present  organization,  is  to  be  destroyed  by  fire  ; 
and  that  simultaneously  with  this  great  catastrophe, 
there  is  to  be  a  general  judgment,  to  be  accomplish- 
ed, hi  person,  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Chiist.  But  this 
solemn  truth,  or  rather  this  series  of  connected 

*  Swedenborg  taught  that  the  soul,  commonly,  does  not  leave 
the  body,  until  "  th.e  third  day"  after  the  heart  ceases  to  beat. 
True  Chris.  Religion,  §  281. 

t  Compendium,  pp  '.'7,  '.*9. 


88 


SWEDEXBORGIAN1SM  EXAMINED. 


truths,  Swedenborg  and  his  followers  unitedly  re- 
ject. This  world  is  to  have  "no  end."*  The  sec- 
ond coining  of  Christ  "  denotes,  not  his  personal  ap- 
pearance in  the  air,  but  his  appearance  in  the  opened 
truths  of  the  Word ; "  and  this  appearance  is  now 
past.  The  last  judgment,  too,  has  already  taken 
place,  not  on  earth,  but  in  the  spiritual  world.  Of 
this,  Swedenborg  was  an  eye-witness,  in  the  year 
1757.  f 

According  to  Swedenborg,  there  have  been  sever- 
al general  judgments,  previous  to  that  of  which  he 
was  a  witness.  "  The  first  was  the  judgment  of  the 
most  ancient  church,  when  all  charity  and  faith  per- 
ished ;  and  which  is  described,  in  Genesis,  under  the 
similitude  of  a  flood."  To  this  succeeded  the  an- 
cient church,  which  existed  in  the  posterity  of  Noah, 
and  came  to  its  consummation,  by  the  many  idola- 
tries which  it  originated.  The  judgment  uj)on  the 
Zsraelitish  church,  took  place  at  the  time  of  our 
Lord's  appearing  in  the  world.  I  The  last  judgment 
upon  the  Christian  church,  (and  there  is  to  be  no 
other  general  judgment)  took  place,  as  before  re- 
marked, in  1757. 

The  scene  of  these  several  judgments  is,  in  every 
case,  in  the  intermediate  state,  or  spiritual  world. 
Into  this  world  all,  or  nearly  so,  enter  at  death ;  and 

*  Noble's  Appeal,  p.  122. 

t  Last  Judgment,  §  45. 

t  Hindmarsh'  Compendium  p.  138. 


JUDGMENT. 


89 


formerly,  the  spirits  remained  there  for  a  long  time  ; 
some  of  them  from  one  general  judgment  to  another. 
The  consequence  was,  that  in  process  of  years,  the 
spiritual  world  became  excessively  crowded  ;  and  as 
wickedness  more  and  more  abounded  on  the  earth, 
it  became  disproportionally  filled  up  with  evil  spir- 
its. In  such  circumstances,  a  judgment  was  needed, 
in  order  that  there  might  be  a  kind  of  jail  delivery  ; 
when  the  wicked  should  be  driven  out  of  the  spirit- 
ual world,  to  their  final  abodes  in  hell,  and  the  good, 
(who  still  remained  in  that  world)  should  be  receiv- 
to  heaven. 

To  prevent  the  necessity  of  any  future  general 
judgment,  it  is  now  ordained  (so  Swedenborg  assures 
us)  that  no  person  henceforth  shall  remain  in  the 
spiritual  world  for  more  than  thirty  years.  * 

I  have  shown,  under  the  foregoing  particulars,  how 
much  important  scriptural  truth  is  discarded  in  the 
theology  of  Swedenborg.  On  numerous  minor 
points,  he  directly  contradicts  the  teachings  of  tin- 
Bible. 

For  example,  the  sacred  writers  assert,  that  "  the 
Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself"  and  that 
ufor  his  pleasure  they  are  and  they  were  created." 
Prov.  xvi:  4.  Rev.  iv :  11.  But  Swedenborg 
says,  "  the  Lord  did  not  create  the  universe  for  his 
own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  those  with  whom  he 
will  dwell  in  heaven."  f 

*  See  Appendix  to  true  Chris.  Religion, 
t  Divine  Providence,  §  27. 


90 


SWEDENBORGJAXISM  EXAMINED. 


Paul  assures  us  that  "  the  invisible  things  of  God 
are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that 
are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead ; " 
Rom.  i :  20.  But  Swedenborg  affirms  that  "  with- 
out the  word  no  one  can  know  God,  or  know  any- 
thing of  the  Lord  ;"  in  short,  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  possible  as  natural  theology.  * 

Our  Saviour  represented  it  as  exceedingly  difficult 
for  a  rich  man  to  go  to  heaven.  "  It  is  easier  for  a 
camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Luke, 
xviii :  25.  But  Swedenborg  says,  "  It  has  been  giv- 
en me  to  know,  of  a  certainty,  that  the  rich  come  in- 
to heaven  as  easily  as  the  poor ; "  and  he  goes  on 
to  describe  the  manner  in  which  many  rich  people 
live  in  heaven,  "excelling  all  others  in  opulence, 
dwelling  in  palaces,  and  enjoying  an  abundance  of 
all  things."  f 

Our  Saviour  declared  that  "  in  the  resurrection, 
they  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but 
are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,"  Matt.,  xxii :  30. 
But  Swedenborg  insists  that  the  spirits  of  heaven  do 
marry,  and  not  only  marry,  but  have  children.}:  He 

*  Sacred  Scriptures,  §  114. 
t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §  357,  361. 

%  Spiritual  offspring,  of  course.  On  one  occasion,  Swedenborg 
heard  certain  novitiates  in  heaven  ask  the  angelic  spirits  "  wheth- 
er, from  ultimate  delights,  any  offspring  were  born  there.  The 
spirits  answered  that  there  were  not  any  natural  offspring,  but 
spiritual  o-fspriig.    In  another  place,  Swedenborg  calls  these 


HEAVEN. 


91 


was  himself  present  at  a  wedding  in  heaven,  and  de- 
scribes the  dresses  of  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  the 
cake  and  the  wine,  and  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  joy- 
ous occasion.* 

The  heaven  of  the  Scriptures  is  represented  as  a 
place  of  unspotted  purity.  "  There  shall  in  nowise 
enter  into  it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  what- 
soever worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie."  Rev. 
xxi :  27.  But  the  heavens  of  Swedenborg  are  not 
of  this  character.  They  are  continually  assaulted 
and  in  some  instances  infested,  by  the  hells.  He 
speaks,  in  one  place,  of  seeing  "  an  execrable  rabble 
in  heaven."  He  tells  us  also  of  some  visitors  in  one 
of  the  heavens,  —  males,  of  course,  —  who  became 
so  unchaste  and  wanton  in  their  desires,  that  the  la- 
dies of  the  place  avoided  them.  \ 

Again;  the  heaven  of  the  Scriptures  is  represent- 
ed as  a  place  of  unmingled  happiness.  "God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes ;  and  there  shall 
be  no   more  death,  neither   sorrow,  nor  crying, 

spiritual  offspring,  "spiritual  prolifications  ;  "  and  adds,  "If 
you  are  willing  to  believe  it,  natural  prolifications  are  also  from 
that  origin."  Conjugial  Love,  pp.  46,  104.  Hence  Dir.  Ilind- 
rnarsh  is  led  to  say,  that  the  "  spiritual  offspring  brought  forth 
in  heaven,  terminate  in,  and  are  adjoined  to,  their  proper  recep- 
tive forms,  in  the  natural  world. 
*  Conj.  Love,  §  20. 

t  See  New  Church  Repository,  Vol.  vi,  p.  179. 
%  Apoc.  Revealed,  §  611.    Heaven  and  Hell,  §  505.  Conj. 
Love,  §  22,  146. 


SWEDEXBORGIANTSM  EXAMINED. 


neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away,"  Rev.  xxi.  4.  But  the 
heavens  of  Swedenborg  are  as  far  from  unmingled 
happiness,  as  they  are  from  perfect  hoUness.  To 
give  but  a  single  example  :  "  The  lot  of  those  in 
whom  the  spiritual  degree  is  not  opened,  and  still 
not  shut,  after  death  is  that  forasmuch  as  they  are 
still  natural,  and  not  spiritual,  they  are  in  the  lowest 
parts  of  heaven,  where  they  sometimes  experience 
severe  suffering"  * 

Swedenborg  taught  that  "  no  one  suffers  punish- 
ment in  hell  on  account  of  the  evils  which  he  had 
done  in  the  world,  but  on  account  of  the  evils  which 
he  then  does."  f  But  Paul  says  :  "  We  must  all  ap- 
pear before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  that  every 
one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  the  body,  accord- 
ing to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or 
evil."    2  Cor.  v.  9. 

Swedenborg  represents  the  damned,  who  toil  well 
and  fulfill  their  tasks,  as  furnished  not  only  with  food 
and  clothing,  but  with  beds  on  which  to  rest  and 
sleep.  %  But  in  the  Apocalypse  it  is  said  that  "  they 
have  no  rest,  day  nor  night,  but  the  smoke  of  their 
torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever."  Rev.  xiv . 
11. 

It  is  an  oft  repeated  sentiment  of  Swedenborg, 

*  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  §  253. 
t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §  509. 

t  See  Conj.  Love,  §  80.  Ath.  Creed,  §  112.  Noble's  Appeal, 
p.  346. 


THE  BIBLE   SET  ASIDE. 


93 


that  the  inhabitants  of  hell  are  as  much  in  error,  as 
in  sin.  Not  only  does  the  heart,  in  that  world,  love 
what  is  evil,  but  the  understanding  believes  what  is 
false.*  The  New  Testament,  however,  teaches  a 
different  doctrine.  "I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the 
Holy  One  of  God."  Luke  iv.  34.  "The  devils  also 
believe  and  tremble."    James  ii.  19. 

I  might  adduce  many  examples  similar  to  those 
which  have  been  given,  but  it  is  not .  necessary. 
Swedenborg  did  not  hesitate,  when  it  suited  his  pur- 
pose, to  set  aside  the  plain  teachings  and  doctrines 
of  the  Bible.  As  Mr.  Hindmarsh  says :  "  Many  parts 
of  the  Bible  are  to  be  understood  in  a  sense  diamet- 
rically opposite  to  the  expression  in  the  letter ;  as 
when  it  is  said  that  God  is  angry,  that  he  punishes, 
casts  into  hell  and  destroys,  the  true  sense  is,  that 
God  is  loving  and  merciful  to  all,  hating  none,  pun- 
ishing none,  casting  none  into  hell,  destroying 
none."* 


*  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  §  397. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OS" 
SWEDENBORG  CONTINUED. 

Objection  5. 

I  object  further  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg,  that 
while  he  pretended  to  utter  revelations  from  heaven, 
he  palpably  misrepresented  the  doctrines  of  others. 
Supposing  him  to  have  had  true  revelations,  his 
utterances  might  not  agree  with  the  doctrines  of 
others.  They  would  not  agree,  unless  such  doctrines 
were  at  an  agreement  with  the  truth.  But,  certainly, 
the  angels  of  heaven,  and  much  more  the  Lord  of 
heaven,  if  intending  to  contradict  or  refute  the  doc- 
trines of  others,  would  state  those  doctrines  fairly, 
they  would  not  misrepresent  and  slander  their  oppo- 
nents, they  would  set  forth  their  errors  accurately 
and  truly,  and  thus  refute  their  reed  sentiments,  and 
not  a  mere  caricature  and  perversion  of  them.  The 
correctness  of  these  principles  no  one  can  deny. 

Now  the  point  of  my  objection  to  the  claims  of 
Swedenborg  to  divine  revelation  is,  that  he  grossly 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CREED. 


misrepresents  the  doctrines  he  opposes,  especially 
those  of  the  Reformed  Churches.  He  does  not  state 
them  accurately  or  fairly.  For  example,  he  almost 
invariably  represents  trinitarians  as  believing  in 
"  three  Gods"  —  "  each  of  whom  singly  is  God  and 
Lord  "  —  "  each  one  a  God  by  himself."  In  short,  he 
represents  them  as  tritheists,  and  affirms  that  they 
can  not  be  anything  else.*  I  need  not  say  that  all 
this  is  gross  misrepresentation.  The  angels  could 
not  have  taught  him  this,  unless  they  taught  him  a 
lie.  The  doctrine  of  one  God  is  as  integral  a  part 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity,  as  is  that  of  three  per- 
sons in  one  God.  Men  may  be  tritheists  and  poly- 
theists,  if  they  will ;  but  trinitarians  they  can  not  be, 
unless  they  believe  in  one  God. 

Swedenborg  not  only  charged  his  opponents  with 
tritheism,  but  affirmed  that  this  was  taught  in  the 
Nicene  and  Athanasian  creeds.  "The  unity  of  God 
is  not  divided  into  three  persons,  each  of  whom, 
singly,  is  God  and  Lord,  according  to  the  Athana- 
sian creed"  "  At  the  council  in  the  city  of  Nice  was 
forged  and  produced  the  heresy,  as  yet  persisting, 
that  there  were  three  divine  persons  from  eternity, 
and  each  one  a  God  by  himself?  Now  the  truth  is, 
that  in  neither  the  Nicene  nor  the  Athanasian  creeds 
are  the  persons  of  the  trinity  represented  as  exist- 
ing singly,  each  by  himself.  The  Son  is  declared  to 
be  (omoousion,)  of  one  substance  with  the  Father. 

*  See  Brief  Exposition,  §  30.  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  138, 
487,  647.    Apoc.  Revealcrl,  §  537. 


SWEDEXBOKGIAN'I.SM  EXAMINED. 


Neither  of  the  persons  of  the  Trinity  subsists  by 
himself ;  of  course,  neither  of  themisa  God by  himself '. 
Such  is  the  unequivocal  representation  of  the  creeds 
referred  to ;  and  in  charging  tritheisin  ujion  them, 
Swedenborg  slanders  them. 

Again ;  the  Protestant  churches,  he  says,  "  make 
God  three,  and  the  Lord  two,  and  place  salvation, 
not  in  amendment  of  life,  but  in  certain  words 
breathed  out  in  a  devout  tone  of  voice ;  consequent- 
ly, not  in  repentance,  but  in  a  confidence  that  they 
are  justified  and  sanctified,  provided  they  do  but  fold  I 
their  hands,  and  look  upwards,  and  utter  some  cus- 
tomary form  of  prayer."  *  A  grosser  slander  of  the 
Protestant  churches  could  not  possibly  have  been 
uttered. 

In  the  following  passage,  Swedenborg  not  only 
perverts  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity,  but  profanely 
ridicules  it.  "■  The  absurd,  ludicrous  and  frivolous 
ideas  which  have  arisen  from  the  doctrine  of  three 
persons  from  eternity,  and  which  arise  with  every 
one  who  remains  in  the  belief  of  the  words  of  that 
doctrine,  and  from  the  eyes  and  ears  rise  up  into  the 
sight  of  the  thought,  are  these  :  That  God  the  Father 
sits  above  the  head  on  high,  and  the  Son  at  his  right 
hand,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  before  them,  listening,  and 
forthwith  running  all  over  the  world ;  and  according 
to  their  decision,  he  dispenses  the  gifts  of  justifica- 
tion, and  inscribes  them  and  makes  thenf  froin  sons 


*  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  263. 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CREED. 


97 


of  wrath,  sons  of  grace,  and  from  condemned,  elect. 
I  appeal  to  the  learned  of  the  clergy  and  of  the  laity, 
whether  they  entertain  any  other  than  this  ideal  view 
in  their  minds."  *  And  I  appeal  to  learned  trinita- 
rians,  the  world  over,  whether  they  ever  entertained 
such  a  view  as  this  ;  and  whether  they  can  consider 
the  imputation  of  it  in  any  other  light  than  as  a  gross 
scandal ! 

Swedenborg  falsely  represents  the  Reformed 
churches  as  holding  and  teaching  "  that  man,  in  his 
"  conversion,  is  like  a  stock,  a  stone,  a  statue,  and  that 
he  cannot  so  much  as  accommodate  and  apply  him- 
self to  receive  grace,  but  is  like  something  that  has 
not  the  use  of  any  of  the  senses."  f 

Again;  " It  is  taught  that  the  imputation  of  the 
merit  of  Christ  is  from  an  arbitrary  election."  "  The 
imputation  at  this  day,  takes  away  from  man  all 
power  from  any  free  agency  in  spiritual  things,  and 
does  not  leave  him  even  so  much,  that  he  can  shake 
off  fire  from  his  clothes,  keep  his  body  from  harm, 
or  extinguish  his  house  when  on  fire,  and  rescue  his 
family?  \ 

The  believers  in  predestination,  according  to  Swe- 
denborg, represent  God  as  having  "  designed  that  the 
bulk  of  mankind  should  be  born  for  hell  —  born  de- 
voted to  destruction  —  born  to  be  devils  and  satans  ;" 
and  that  he  "makes  no  provision  for  those  who  lead 

*  Brief  Exposition,  §  69. 
t  Brief  Exposition,  §  60. 
t  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  486,  629,  630 
7 


98 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


good  lives  and  acknowledge  God,  whereby  they  may 
escape  everlasting  fire  and  punishment."* 

Some  hold,  says  he,  "  that  the  life  is  of  no  effect, 
but  election  ;  and  that  redemption  into  heaven  is  of 
mercy  alone,  whatever  the  life  may  have  been? 
"They  who  have  believed,  and  have  confirmed  them- 
selves in  this,  that  some  are  chosen,  and  the  rest  not 
chosen,  and  that  admission  into  heaven  is  only  out  of 
mercy,  without  regard  to  the  life"  find  themselves 
much  mistaken  in  the  other  world.  He  describes  the 
condition  of  such  in  hell.  "They  are  devils,"  he  says, 
"  almost  without  the  human  form ;  some  with  face 
retracted,  some  as  grates  of  teeth,  and  some  as  mon- 
sters in  other  shapes.  They  abhor  themselves,  and 
cast  themselves  headlong  down  into  hell,  and  the 
more  deeply,  so  much  the  better  for  them."  f  I  need 
not  say  that  the  above  passages  are  but  a  continual 
tissue  of  misrepresentations,  unworthy  of  a  man  of 
common  fairness  and  honesty  —  impossible  to  one 
littering  divine  revelations. 

The  following  is  Swedenborg's  caricature  —  for  I 
can  give  it  no  better  name  —  of  the  great  doctrine  of 
redemption,  as  held  in  the  Reformed  churches. 
"  What  at  this  day  more  fills  and  crams  the  books  of 
the  orthodox,  or  what  is  more  zealously  taught  and 
inculcated  in  the  schools,  or  more  frequently  preached 
and  proclaimed  from  the  pulpits,  than  that  God  the 

*  Brief  Exposition,  §  6G. 
t  Arcana  Celestia,  §  50o7. 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CREED. 


99 


Father,  being  arrayed  against  the  human  race,  not 
only  removed  it  from  himself,  but  also  concluded  it 
under  a  universal  damnation,  and  thus  excommuni- 
cated it ;  but  because  he  is  gracious,  that  he  per- 
suaded  or  excited  his  Son  to  descend,  and  take  upon 
himself  the  determined  damnation,  and  thus  appease 
the  anger  of  his  Father;  «nd  that  thus,  and  not 
otherwise,  he  could  look  upon  man  with  some 
favor."  * 

"The  paradoxes  flowing  from  the  faith  of  the 
church,"  he  says,  "  are  many  ;  as  that  God  the  Father 
begat  a  Son  from  eternity,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  pro- 
ceeds from  both,  and  that  each  of  these  three  is  a 
person  by  himself  and  a  God:  That  the  above  three 
persons,  consequently  three  Gods,  created  the  uni- 
verse ;  and  that  one  of  them  descended  and  assumed 
human  nature,  to  reconcile  the  Father,  and  thus  save 
mankind  :  That  they  who  by  grace  obtain  faith,  and 
believe  these  paradoxes,  are  saved  by  the  imputation, 
application,  and  translation  of  his  righteousness  to 
themselves  :  That  man,  at  his  first  reception  of  faith 
is  like  a  statue,  a  stock,  or  a  stone,  and  that  faith 
comes  by  the  mere  hearing  of  the  word  :  That  faith 
produces  remission  of  sins,  without  any  previous  re- 
pentance ;  and  that,  merely  by  virtue  of  such  remis- 
sion, the  impenitent  arc  justified,  regenerated,  and 
sanctified."  f 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  132. 
t  Brief  Exposition,  §  54. 


100  SWEDEXBORGIAXISJI  EXAMINED. 


Swedenborg  professed  to  have  learned  from  the 
angels,  that  believers  in  justification  by  faith  alone, 
"  from  their  very  principles  of  religion,  have  no  res- 
pect to  the  life,  and  to  the  deeds  of  love  which  make 
the  life,  neither  to  any  other  means  by  which  the 
Lord  implants  heaven  in  man,  and  renders  him  re- 
eeptible  of  heavenly  joys."  *  He  also  learned,  that 
such  persons  "have  a  certain  deep-rooted  opposition 
and  aversion  to  actual  repentance,  which  is  so  obsti- 
nate that  they  cannot  force  themselves  to  self-exam- 
ination, neither  can  they  look  at  their  sins,  nor  con- 
fess them  before  God ;  for  they  are  seized  as  it  were 
with  horror,  at  the  bare  mention  of  such  a  duty."^f 
On  one  occasion,  he  says,  "  I  conversed,  in  the  s\A- 
ritual  world,  with  certain  doctors  of  the  church  about 
what  they  meant  by  works  of  the  law,  and  what  by 
the  law,  under  whose  yoke,  servitude,  and  sentence 
they  declare  themselves  not  to  be.  They  said  they 
meant  the  works  of  the  law  of  the  decalogue"  \  In 
these  extracts,  the  believers  in  justification  by  faith 
are  represented  as  having  "  no  respect  to  the  life,  or 
to  those  deeds  of  love  which  make  the  life  "  —  as 
having  "  a  deep-rooted  opposition  and  aversion  to 
repentance  "  —  and  as  thinking  themselves  under  no 
obligations  to  obey  all  or  either  of  the  ten  command- 
ments. 

*  Heaven  and  Hell,  §  526. 

t  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  531. 

X  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §§  578,  914. 


SWEUEXIiOliG's  MISREPRESENTATIONS.  101 


Swedenborg  further  represents  the  Reformed 
church,  like  the  Catholic,  as  inculcating  the  doctrine 
of  implicit  faith  ;  viz.,  "  that  the  understanding  in 
matters  of  a  theological  nature,  is  to  see  nothing,  but 
that  people  are  blindly  to  believe  what  the  church 
teaches."  * 

Swedenborg  says,  "I  have  heard  Luther,  with 
whom  I  have  sometimes  conversed  in  the  spiritual 
world,  curse  Solifidianism,  and  say  that,  when  he  es- 
tablished it,  he  was  warned  by  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
not  to  do  it."  Now  the  truth  is,  Luther  never  estab- 
lished Solifidianism.  Nothing  could  have  been  fur- 
ther from  his  intention,  or  his  act.  On  the  necessity 
of  good  works,  he  insisted  as  strongly  as  Sweden- 
borg himself,  and  in  a  way  much  more  accordant  with 
the  gospel,  f 

Swedenborg  saw  Calvin,  also,  in  the  sj)iritual  world, 
and  made  him  confess  that,  while  on  earth,  he  had 
taught  the  following  doctrines  :  "  That  God  created 
the  greatest  part  of  men  for  eternal  damnation,  and 
is  unwilling  that  the  greatest  part  should  be  convert- 
ed and  live  :  That  the  elect  and  regenerate  can  not 
lose  faith  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  although  they  should 
commit  great  crimes,  and  sins  of  every  kind:  But 
that  those  who  are  not  elected  are  necessarily 
damned,  and  can  not  attain  to  salvation,  although 
they  should  be  baptized  a  thousand  times,  and  come 

*  Divine  Providence,  §  258. 

t  See  Augsburg  Confession,  Articles  VL  and  XX 


102  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

to  the  eucharist  every  day,  and  besides  lead  as  holy 
and  blameless  lives  as  ever  can  be  done"  *  Now  all 
I  have  to  say  in  regard  to  this  matter  is,  that  if  Calvin 
made  any  such  confession  in  the  other  world,  he  con- 
fessed a  lie  ;  for  he  never  taught  such  doctrines,  while 
on  the  earth.  He  taught  that  which  his  enemies 
wrested  and  perverted  into  monstrosities  of  this  na- 
ture ;  and  two  hundred  years  after  his  death,  the 
good  man  is  made  to  speak  from  the  other  world, 
and  acknowledge  them  as  his  own  legitimate  off- 
spring. 

On  reviewing  the  above  extracts,  I  think  no  intel- 
ligent person  can  fail  to  see,  that  here  is  a  gross  and 
continual  misrepresentation  of  the  doctrines  of  evan- 
gelical Christians.  I  will  not  say  that  there  was 
absolutely  nothing  in  the  faith  of  Protestant  Chris- 
tendom, at  the  time  of  Swedenborg,  with  which  some 
part  of  his  statements  may  agree  ;  but  I  do  say  that, 
for  a  considerable  part  of  them,  there  was  then,  as 
there  is  now,  no  foundation  in  truth  ;  and  most  of 
the  remainder  is  so  colored,  distorted  and  exaggera- 
ted, as  to  have  all  the  effect  of  falsehood.  Did  Swe- 
denborg then  receive  it  by  divine  revelation  ?  Was 
he  taught  it  in  heaven,  and  by  the  angels  ?  Impos- 
sible. The  thought  is  not  to  be  admitted  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

Objection  6. 

I  object  further  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg,  that 


*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  798. 


SPEAKS  REPROACHFULLY  OF  THE  CHURCH.  lO'ii 


he  speaks  reproachfully  of  the  Church  of  God  ;  more 
especially  of  the  Israelitish  and  the  Christian 
churches.  He  says  there  have  been  four  general 
churches,  previous  to  the  New  Jerusalem  church, 
viz:  the  Adamic,  the  Noahtic,  the  Israelitish  and 
the  Christian  ;  each  of  which  has  perished  in  its  own 
corruptions.  *  Of  the  two  former  (if  they  were  two) 
we  know  but  little,  and  have  no  occasion  now  to 
speak.  Of  the  two  latter  we  have  more  knowledge ; 
and  it  may  be  well  to  hear  Swedenborg's  account  of 
them,  and  see  whether  it  is  worthy  to  be  received. 

Speaking  of  the  Israelites  he  says,  "  The  worship 
of  this  nation  consisted  of  mere  correspondences, 
and  thence  was  representative  of  heavenly  things ; 
but  still  they  did  not  know  tohat  anything  signified, 
for  they  were  altogether  natural  men  y  and  hence 
they  would  not,  and  could  not,  know  anything  con- 
cerning spiritual  and  heavenly  things."  f  Again ; 
"  the  mysteries  of  faith  were  never  revealed  to  this 
people,  so  that  it  was  not  even  declared  to  them 
openly  that  they  should  live  after  death,  or  that  the 
Lord  should  come  into  the  world  to  save  them  /  nay, 
they  were  kept  in  so  great  ignorance  and  stupor,  that 
they  did  not  know  that  any  internal  man  exists,  or 
that  tJitre  is  anything  internal.    For  had  they  known 

*  Swedenborg  sometimes  speaks  of  five  general  churches,  ante- 
cedent to  the  New  Church  ;  introducing  a  Hebrew  church  between 
the  Noahtic  and  the  Israelitish.   See  Div.  Providence,  §  328. 

t  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  204. 


104 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


these  truths,  they  are  a  people  of  such  a  nature  that 
they  would  have  profaned  them,  and  thus  precluded 
themselves  from  all  hope  of  salvation  in  another 
life."  *  "  The  reason  why  miracles  were  wrought 
among  this  people  was,  because  they  were  altogether 
external  men,  and  were  introduced  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  merely  that  they  might  represent  a  church 
and  its  internals,  by  the  externals  of  worship ;  and  a 
wicked  man  may  be  a  representative,  as  well  as  a 
good  man.  The  reason  why  they  could  not  be 
brought,  by  such  representation,  to  the  internals  of 
worship  was,  because  they  did  not  acknowledge  the 
Lord ;  although  the  whole  word  that  was  among 
them  treateth  of  him  only;  and  he  who  doth  not 
acknowledge  the  Lord  cannot  receive  any  internal 
worship."  f 

As  Swedenborg  here  speaks  of  the  Israelites  as 
"  altogether  natural  men,"  and  "  external  men,"  and 
their  worship  as  external  worship,  it  may  be  well 
that  he  should  define  his  own  terms.  "  Those  who 
are  in  external  worship,  without  internal,"  says  he, 
"  are  they  who  frequent  churches  on  Sabbaths  and 
festivals,  and  on  such  occasions  sing  and  pray,  and 
hear  sermons,  and  yet  attend  only  to  the  language, 
and  little  or  nothing  to  the  substance  of  what  is  said ; 
who  are  somewhat  moved  by  prayers  uttered  with 
affection,  but  never  reflect  upon  themselves  and  the 


*  Arcana  Celestia,  §  301. 
t  Divine  Providence,  §  132. 


SPEAKS  REPROACHFULLY  OF  THE  CHURCH.  105 

lives  they  lead ;  who  receive  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper  every  year,  pour  out  prayers  morning 
and  evening,  say  grace  at  dinner  and  supper,  and 
sometimes  discourse  about  God  and  heaven,  and 
quote  passages  from  the  word,  and  act  the  Christian, 
when  they  are  not  such.  For  as  soon  as  they  have 
done  these  things,  they  make  nothing  of  adultery  and 
obsceneness,  revenge  and  hatred,  lies  and  blas- 
phemy," &c.  * 

Such  then  are  "  external  men,"  and  "  natural  men  f 
and  such  altogether,  according  to  Swedenborg,  were 
the  Israelites  —  the  ancient  covenant  people  of  God. 
He  makes  no  exceptions,  nor  does  he  allow  us  to 
make  any.  The  representative  position  which  the 
Israelites  occupied  required  that  they  should  be  an 
external  people ;  and  they  were  so.  They  were  se- 
lected on  account  of  their  possessing  this  peculiar 
quality,  and  most  admirably  did  they  exemplify  it. 
Henceforward,  then,  when  we  think  of  Moses,  and 
Aaron,  and  Joshua,  and  Samuel,  and  David,  and 
Solomon,  and  the  ancient  prophets,  and  the  whole 
company  of  those  who,  "through  faith,  subdued 
kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises, 
stopped  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence 
of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weak- 
ness were  made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  and 
put  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens ; "  we  must,  if 
we  believe  in  Swedenborg,  think  of  them  as  "  alto- 


*  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  85'J. 


106  SWEDEXBOKGIAX1SM  EXAMINED. 

gether  external  men  " — -who  knew  not  "  that  they 
should  live  after  death,  or  that  the  Lord  would  come 
into  the  world  to  save  them,"  —  who  "were  kept  in 
so  great  ignorance  and  stupor,  that  they  did  not 
know  that  any  internal  man  exists,  or  that  there  is 
anything  internal ; "  in  short,  "  who  would  not,  and 
could  not,  know  anything  concerning  spiritual  and 
heavenly  things." 

That  I  do  not  state  this  matter  too  strongly,  will 
be  evident  if  we  consult  one  of  Swedenborg's  ablest 
expositors  —  Mr.  Parsons.  "  Natural  good"  says  he, 
"  is  the  lowest  form  of  goodness.  It  is  the  good  of 
external  life  only.  It  is  such  good  as  a  man  may  do, 
without  religion  ;  or  such  as  he  may  do,  when  moved 
by  the  terms  or  the  hopes  of  a  religion  which  does 
not  leave  the  earth.  This  teas  the  good  of  the  Jew- 
ish church."  "  He  who  obeys  the  laws  of  God  and 
of  man  merely  from  a  refined  selfishness,  may  lead  a 
hfe  of  entire  external  good ;  and  in  speaking  of  it 
under  some  points  of  view,  we  may  _call  his  life  a 
good  life,  yet  there  is  no  genuine  goodness  in  him  ; 
and  his  life,  accurately  speaking,  is  only  the  form,  the 
representative,  of  a  good  life.  Just  so  it  teas  with 
the  Jewish  church.  It  was  the  exact  representative 
of  a  perfect  church."  Mr.  Parsons  goes  on  to  speak 
of  the  laws,  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Jews,  of  their 
tabernacle,  temple,  and  worship,  as  indicating  things 
true  and  good ;  but  they  knew  nothing  of  "  the 
meaning  and  purpose  of  these  things,"  and  hence 
"  they  were  exhorted  to  obey  on  merely  natural, 


SPEAKS  REPROACHFULLY  OF  THE  CHURCH.  107 

earthly  grounds.  The  motives  held  out  to  them 
were  all  from  this  side  of  the  grave.  To  their  eyes, 
no  light  from  the  life  beyond  its  dark  precincts 
streamed  across  the  gloom."  Mr.  Parsons  proceeds 
to  say,  what  Swedenborg  had  said  before  him,  that 
the  Jews  were  "  a  chosen  people?  not  because  they 
were  a  peculiarly  good  people,  nor  because  any  spe- 
cial favors  were  intended  for  them,  but  because  they 
were  a  singularly  natural,  external  people.  "  They 
were  less  disposed  than  any  other,  to  see  or  know,  or 
wish  to  know,  or  be  moved  and  influenced  by,  truths 
that  were  more  than  sensual.  Their  character  was 
earthly,  and  altogether  earthly"  * 

Having  thus  seen  how  Swedenborg  and  his  fol- 
lowers regard  the  Jewish  church,  the  Zion  of  the 
Old  Testament,  we  will  next  inquire  into  their  treat- 
ment of  the  Christian  church  —  that  which  was  insti- 
tuted by  Christ  and  his  Apostles. 

He  lays  it  down  as  one  of  his  leading  propositions, 
"that  from  the  Nicene  and  Athanasian  trinity  to- 
gether, a  faith  arose  which  has  perverted  the  whole 
church?  Another  of  his  leading  propositions  is  this : 
"  That  the  error  of  believing  redemption  to  consist 
in  the  passion  of  the  cross,  with  the  error  concerning 
the  divine  persons  from  eternity,  has  perverted  the 
whole  church,  so  that  not  anything  spiritual  is  left 
remaining  in  it.  In  discussing  these  propositions, 
Swedenborg  says,  "that  the  faith  of  the  present  time 


*  Essays,  pp.  183—186. 


108  SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

has  extinguished  the  light  in  the  word,  and  removed 
the  Lord  from  the  church,  and  thus  precipitated  its 
morning  into  night."  Again,  he  says  that,  because 
of  this  faith,  "  the  ways  to  heaven  are  beset  with 
thieves  and  robbers ;  and  in  the  temples,  the  doors 
are  thrown  down,  so  that  dragons  and  owls  have  en- 
tered, and  sing  together  in  horrible  discord."  *  He 
further  says,  that  "  all  the  truth  of  the  word  is  now 
falsified  ;"  and  that  "  by  falsifications  of  truth,  men 
have  alienated  all  spiritual  knowledge  of  good  and 
truth  from  the  church*,  and  by  applications  to  falses, 
have  entirely  destroyed  them"  f  In  another  connec- 
tion he  says,  "When  a  faith  in  three  Gods  was  intro- 
duced into  the  church,  which  was  done  at  theXicene 
synod,  all  the  good  of  charity  and  all  the  truth  of 
faith  were  exiled.  Since  that  time,  the  Christian 
temple  has  not  only  been  shattered,  but  has  fallen 
in  ruins."  %  Indeed,  he  affirms  that,  in  his  time,  the 
church  had  become  so  totally  corrupt,  "  that  unless  a 
New  Church  be  established  by  the  Lord,  no  flesh 
can  be  saved." 

According  to  Swedenborg's  interpretations,  the 
Papal  church  is  the  great  Babylon  of  the  Apocalypse ; 
and  the  Protestant  churches  are  those  represented 
"  by  the  dragon  and  his  two  beasts  ;  by  the  locusts ; 
by  the  great  city  which  is  spiritually  called  Sodom 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  132,  133,  177,  634. 

t  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §§  541,  610. 

%  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  132,  133,  177,  634. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  109 

and  Egypt ;  also  by  the  pit  of  the  abyss  whence  the 
beasts  came  forth."  These  churches  are  also  repre- 
sented by  the  goats  on  the  left  hand  of  the  Judge, 
in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Matthew,  who  were 
sentenced  to  depart  accursed  into  everlasting  fire.* 

In  fine,  Swedenborg  represents  what  he  calls  the 
first  Christian  church  as  having  come  to  its  end  more 
than  a  hundred  years  ago.  It  was  judged  and  des- 
troyed, in  the  spiritual  world,  in  the  year  1757.  Then 
it  was  that  great  Babylon  (the  Romish  church)  fell. 
Then  it  was  that  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and  the  false 
prophet  (i.  e.  the  Protestant  churches)  were  taken, 
and  "  cast  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone, 
to  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  on  this  point  among  the  fol- 
lowers of  Swedenborg;  for  he  declares  that  he  was 
an  eye-witness  of  the  whole  transaction,  and  he  has 
described  it  with  great  particularity.t 

The  only  question  to  be  decided  then  is,  Are  these 
things  so  ?  Has  the  church,  which  Christ  and  his 
Apostles  instituted,  been  spiritually  overthrown,  for 
more  than  a  hundred  years  ?  During  all  this  time, 
has  Christ  had  no  real,  spiritual  church  in  the  world, 
except  the  little  handful  of  Swedenborgians  ?  There 
are  church  organizations  and  ordinances  indeed  ;  but 
are  they,  and  have  they  been,  mere  dead  forms  ?  Has 
all  spiritual  life  and  holiness  —  everything  which  goes 
to  give  vitality  and  energy  to  a  church,  ceased  ? 

*  Brief  Exposition,  §§  83,  87,  91. 

t  Ltot  Judgment,  §§  53,  60.   Continuation,  §§  14—29. 


110 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


I  will  not  degrade  myself  nor  my  profession  by 
undertaking  to  answer  these  questions.  Swedenborg 
affirms  that  it  is  even  so ;  for  he  was  present  and  saw 
the  overwhelming  ruin.  Those  who  accept  his  reve- 
lations must  believe  him ;  while  those  who  can  not 
believe  him  in  this  particular,  as  well  as  in  others, 
have  no  alternative  but  to  reject  his  claims. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OF  SWE- 
DENBORG CONTINUED. 

Objection  7. 

My  next  objection  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg 
is  founded  on  his  representations  in  regard  to  some 
of  the  best  and  wisest  men  that  have  ever  lived  on 
the  earth.  Of  the  piety  of  no  mere  man  that  ever 
lived  can  we  feel  more  satisfactorily  assured,  than 
that  of  David, —  the  monarch  and  the  sweet  psalm- 
ist of  Israel.  We  have  the  evidence,  not  only  of  his 
recorded  religious  feelings  and  devotional  exercises, 
but  of  the  divine  testimony,  given  in  repeated  in- 
stances, and  in  the  most  positive  terms.  *  But  when 
David  had  been  almost  three  thousand  years  dead, 
Swedenborg  professed  to  meet  him  in  the  other 
world.  And  instead  of  seeing  him,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  among  the  blessed,  he  found  him  an 


*  See  1  Kings,  xiv.  8.    Acts  xiii.  22. 


112  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

insane  and  outrageous  devil,  having  "  only  adulte- 
ries and  cruelties  in  his  mind"  —  "intending  and 
without  conscience  contriving  evil."  He  fancied  that 
he  was  a  god,  and  that  he  had  power  to  bind  the 
Lord  himself.  Under  the  influence  of  this  "phan- 
tasy," he  was  hurling  down  his  fellow  sinners,  and 
inflicting  upon  them  the  severest  torments.  But 
there  were  some  about  him  who  did  not  accord  to 
him  divine  honors.  They  said  that  "  he  was  a  dog," 
and  that  they  "  were  permitted  to  treat  him  as  a 
dog."  * 

With  united  voice,  the  whole  Christian  world  has 
spoken  of  the  piety  and  usefulness  of  the  apostle 
Paul.  "When  he  had  been  some  seventeen  hundred 
years  dead,  Swedenborg  found  him  in  the  other 
world,  and  he  thus  describes  his  character  and  state. 
"  Paul  is  among  the  worst  of  the  apostles,  as  has 
been  made  known  to  me  by  ample  experience.  The 
love  of  self,  whereby  he  was  ensnared  before  he 
preached  the  gospel,  remained  with  him  afterwards. 
He  did  all  things  from  the  end  of  being  greatest  in 
heaven,  and  of  judging  the  tribes  of  Israel.  He  is 
such  that  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  in  the  other  life, 
reject  him  from  their  company,  and  no  longer  recog- 
nize him  as  one  of  themselves.  He  associates  himself 
with  one  of  the  worst  devils,  who  would  fain  rule  all 
things,  and  pledged  himself  to  this  spirit  to  obtain 
for  him  his  end."     Speaking  of  Paul  in  another 


*  See  Bush's  Swedenborg  Library.  Part  ii.  pp.  70 — 81. 


SLANDKRS  PAUL. 


113 


place  Swedenborg  says :  "  He  now  associated  him- 
self with  the  worst  devils,  and  wished  to  form  a 
heaven  to  himself  of  spirits,  to  whom  he  might  give 
joys  from  himself.  This  also  he  attempted,  but  he  be- 
came worse  in  consequence  of  it,  and  was  cast  down. 
I  then  spoke  to  him  that  this  was  not  heaven,  but 
hell ;  for  such  a  heaven  is  turned  into  a  black  hell." 
Swedenborg  has  much  to  say,  in  the  same  strain,  of 
the  apostle  Paul ;  and  his  followers  are  pretty  much 
agreed  that  Paul  must  have  been  a  bad  character, 
and  that  he  has  gone  to  a  bad  place.  One  of  them 
says  :  "  As  Judas,  by  perverting  the  goods  and  truths 
of  the  church,  accomplished  his  own  destruction,  so 
Paul,  by  claiming  a  higher  mission,  and  by  a  longer 
perseverance  in  evil,  associated  himself  with  the  worst 
of  devils.  In  this  world  he  would  scarce  acknowl- 
edge subordination  to  the  Lord  himself — certainly 
not  to  his  apostles,  but  sought  to  rule  over  all.  So 
in  the  spiritual  sphere,  he  would  naturally  aspire  to 
build  his  own  heaven,  and  reign  its  supreme  Lord. 
Swedenborg  testifies  that  he  saw  him  there,  con- 
versed with  him,  and  observed  the  phantasies  in 
which  he  was  involved."  Swedenborg  also  testifies 
that  this  place  was  "  hell  —  a  black  hell.  * 

Among  the  eminent  men  of  modern  times,  it 
would  be  hard  to  select  three,  better  entitled  to 
the  gratitude  of  the  church  and  world,  than  Luther, 
Melancthon,  and  Calvin.    Let  us  now  see  what  ao- 

»  See  New  Church  Repository,  Vol.  4,  pp.  41,  42,  462. 
8 


114 


SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


count  Swedenborg  gives  of  the  state  and  character 
of  these  men  in  the  other  life. 

Of  Luther  he  says,  that  after  he  entered  the  spir- 
itual world,  he  continued  to  teach  his  peculiar  dog- 
mas much  as  he  had  done  on  earth,  only  with  in- 
creased earnestness.  He  was  continually  surround- 
ed by  great  multitudes  of  spirits  ;  and  in  order  to 
increase  his  power  over  them,  he  resorted  to  a  spe- 
cies of  wicked,  not  to  say  infernal,  incantation.  Af- 
ter practicing  this  a  while,  the  consequences  were  so 
hurtful,  that  he  was  forbidden  to  resort  to  it  any 
more.  For  some  unexplained  reason,  Luther  was  not 
sent  to  hell  at  the  time  of  the  Judgment,  in  1757, 
neither  was  he  received  to  heaven.  Shortly  after 
this,  he  sought  an  interview  with  Swedenborg,  and 
from  him  learned  that  the  old  church  was  at  an  end 
and  that  a  new  one  was  being  established.  At  this 
Luther  "became  very  indignant, and  stormed /"  but 
after  a  while  his  storming  ceased.  From  this  period, 
he  desired  to  renounce  his  doctrine  of  faith  alone, 
and  to  embrace  the  creed  of  the  New  Church  ;  but 
found  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  do  so.  "  Therefore," 
says  Swedenborg  (in  1763),  "he  is  still  in  the  world 
of  spirits,  which  is  in  the  midst  between  heaven  and 
hell,  where  he  sometimes  undergoes  great  suffer- 
ings. "  * 

The  treatment  of  Melancthon  in  the  spiritual 
world  was  more  severe  than  that  of  Luther.    He  at  - 


*  True  Chris.  Religion  §  137. 


SLANDERS  CAI.VI.V. 


115 


first  had  a  chamber  furnished  him,  like  that  which 
he  had  occupied  on  earth,  fitted  up  with  table,  desk, 
drawers  and  library.  But  as  he  was  intent  on  his 
old  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  the  convenien- 
ces of  his  chamber  were  ere  long  removed,  and  he 
was  left  almost  to  naked  walls.  Not  being  reclaim- 
ed by  the  deprivation,  he  was  let  down  frequently 
into  hell,  and  then  brought  back  again  to  his  cold 
stone  chamber,  "  at  which  times  he  appeared  cloth- 
ed in  a  bear-skin,  by  reason  of  the  cold,  because  faith 
without  charity  is  cold."  At  length,  his  chamber 
became  exceedingly  filthy,  so  that  he  would  "not 
admit  strangers  into  it,  who  were  desirous  of  seeing 
him."  At  the  latest  accounts,  he  seemed  to  have 
acquired  some  consistent  ideas  about  charity.  He 
was  still  confined,  however,  to  his  old,  cold,  filthy 
stone  chamber. 

In  regard  to  Calvin,  the  representations  of  Swe- 
denborg  are  irreconcilably  inconsistent.  In  the  year 
1763,  he  speaks  of  him  as  "in  a  society  of  heaven,'1 
and  was  told  by  the  "  moderator  of  the  society,  that 
Calvin  was  accepted  among  them,  because  he  was 
well  disposed  and  made  no  disturbance."  But  in  his 
latest  publication,  Swedenborg  gives  a  much  more 
full  account  of  Calvin,  and  finally  leaves  him  in  one 
of  the  caverns,  the  work-shops  of  hell.  Some  of  the 
main  features  of  the  account,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
transcribe. 

It  was  a  long  time  after  Calvin  entered  the  spirit- 
ual world,  before  the  angels  could  satisfy  him  that 


116 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM    LX  A  MIX  LD. 


he  was  not  still  in  the  body.  This  ''was  because 
he  was  a  seyisual  man,  believing  nothing  but  what 
he  had  learned  through  his  bodily  senses."  It  seems 
that  while  on  earth,  Calvin  never  had  any  serious  re- 
gard for  the  Scriptures,  quoting  them  *  only  for  the 
sake  of  the  common  people,  that  they  might  favor 
him  with  their  assent."  "When  he  became  satisfied 
that  he  was  in  the  spiritual  world,  he  sought  earnest- 
ly for  the  Predestinarians,  and  at  length  found  them 
shut  up  and  concealed  in  a  cavern  under  ground. 
He  staid  with  them  for  a  time,  and  enjoyed  their 
company ;  but  becoming  weary  at  length,  he  went 
and  joined  a  society  of  simpletons,  who  knew  little 
about  predestination,  or  anything  else.  TVe  next 
hear  of  him  in  a  certain  governors  house ;  and  then 
in  a  "  house  occupied  by  harlots,  where  he  remained 
some  time."  Not  long  after  this,  Swedenborg  had 
an  interview  with  him,  and  did  his  utmost  to  con- 
vert him  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church.  But 
Calvin  (to  borrow  a  hackneyed  phrase)  was  a  hard 
case.  The  seer  could  do  nothing  with  him ;  and  at 
last,  losing  all  patience,  he  exclaimed,  "You  talk 
impiously  !  Begone,  you  evil  spirit  1"  After  this, 
Calvin  departed  to  the  infernal  cavern,  provided  for 
the  Predestinarians,  where  "  they  are  forced  to  work 
for  their  victuals,  and  are  all  enemies  one  to  another. 
Here  they  do  evil  one  to  another,  to  the  extent  of 
their  power,  and  this  is  the  delight  of  their  life."  * 

*True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  796  —  798.  Continuation  of  Last 
Judgment,  §§  54,  55. 


THE    SYNOD  OF  DORT. 


117 


In  November,  1618,  a  general  Synod  of  the  Re- 
formed churches  was  convened  at  Dort,  in  Holland, 
for  the  purpose  of  discussing  the  Arminian  doc- 
trines, which  had  begun  to  be  inculcated  in  that 
country.  There  were  present  at  the  Synod,  ecclesi- 
astical deputies,  not  only  from  the  United  Provinces, 
but  from  the  churches  of  England,  Scotland,  Hesse, 
Bremen,  Switzerland,  and  the  Palatinate.  The  for- 
eign divines  present,  were  twenty-eight;  those  of 
the  United  Provinces  were  thirty-six,  besides  five 
professors,  and  twenty  elders  ;  —  eighty-nine  in  all. 
Probably,  no  ecclesiastical  body  was  ever  so  outra- 
geously slandered  by  the  enemies  of  God's  truth,  as 
this ;  and  yet  few  ecclesiastical  bodies  have  demean- 
ed themselves  more  worthily  and  unexeeptionably  ; 
though  no  one,  at  this  day,  would  think  of  justifying 
all  their  measures.  Their  unpardonable  sin  was,  that 
a  large  majority  of  them  were  thorough,  consistent 
Calvinists.  Good  Bishop  Hall  of  England  was  a 
member  of  the  Synod,  and  on  leaving  it,  is  reported 
to  have  said,  "  There  is  no  place  upon  earth  so  like 
heaven,  as  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  none  where  I 
should  be  more  willing  to  dwell."  Speaking  of  the 
Articles  published  by  the  Synod,  the  venerable 
Thomas  Scott  says,  "  Fewer  things  appear  to  me 
unscriptural  in  these  Articles,  than  in  almost  any  hu- 
man composition  which  I  have  read  upon  the  sub- 
ject." He  speaks  also  of  the  "  holy,  guarded,  and 
reverential  manner  in  which  the  divines  of  this  rep- 


118  SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 

robated  Synod  stated  and  explained  the  doctrines 
of  the  gospel." 

Swedenborg  saw  the  members  of  this  Synod  in 
the  sjiiritual  world,  and  there  called  them  to  a  sol- 
emn account  for  inculcating  upon  earth  the  doc- 
trine of  predestination.  "  When  I  had  said  these 
things,"  says  he,  "  they  looked  at  me  with  a  Satanic 
look  ;  "  and  all  power  of  further  deception  beingtaken 
away,  they  went  on  to  confess  themselves  gross  hyp- 
ocrites ; —  that  they  had  assumed  the  appearance 
of  religion  for  sinister  ends,  but  that  really  they  had 
no  confidence  in  God's  word,  or  in  anything  good, 
but  only  in  predestination.  Swedenborg  tried  to 
reason  with  them  out  of  the  Scriptures,  but  in  vain. 
They  soon  retired  into  their  cave,  "  around  which  ap- 
peared a  dusky  fire,  —  a  sign  that  they  had  neither 
faith  nor  charity."* 

I  know  of  no  religious  community  in  modern 
times,  which  has  exhibited  more  of  the  genuine  spi- 
rit of  religion,  than  the  Moravians,  or  United  Breth- 
ren. This  was  specially  true  of  them,  during  the 
first  forty  years  after  their  establishment  at  Hern- 
hutt,  all  which  time  they  were  the  cotemporaries  of 
Swedenborg.  Great  numbers  of  them  died,  howev- 
er, before  Swedenborg  —  some  in  nearly  every  quar- 
ter of  the  globe,  whither  they  had  gone  to  proclaim 
the  gospel ;  and  it  was  his  privilege  to  meet  them  in 


*  True  Chris  Religion,  §  487. 


MORAVIANS  IN  HELL. 


119 


the  other  world.  And  what  does  he  say  of  them? 
He  declares  them  to  be  arrant  knaves  and  hypo- 
crites, having  a  "secret  doctrine,"  which  is  commu- 
nicated only  to  the  initiated,  and  "  being  very  crafty 
in  conciliating  favor."  As  a  matter  of  experiment, 
they  were  twice  admitted  into  heaven,  but  they  could 
not  live  there  at  all.  "They  began  to  be  inwardly 
tormented,  and  thrown  into  convulsive  motions  like 
persons  in  the  agonies  of  death ;  wherefore,  they 
east  themselves  down  out  of  heaven  headlong." 
After  this,  they  were  explored,  as  to  "  the  interior 
of  their  thoughts,"  when  it  was  discovered  that  in- 
wardly "  they  reviled  the  Lord;  they  rejected  a  life 
of  charity  so  as  to  hold  it  in  abhorrence ;  they  re- 
jected the  Old  Testament  as  useless,  and  despised 
the  evangelists,  selecting  only  certain  passages  from 
Paul,  where  mention  is  made  of  faith  alone.  These 
were  the  mysteries  which  they  had  concealed  from 
the»world." 

Such,  then,  are  the  representations  of  Sweden- 
borg,  in  regard  to  some  of  the  best  and  wisest  men, 
and  most  exemplary  Christians,  that  have  ever  lived 
upon  the  earth.  David  and  Paul  have  been  long 
ages  in  hell.  Luther  and  Melancthon  are  kept  out 
of  heaven,  in  a  state  often  of  severe  if  not  endless 
suffering.  Calvin  too  has  gone  to  hell.  The  vener- 
able divines  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  the  devoted, 
self-sacrificing  missionaries  from  Hernhutt,  are  all 
base  hypocrites  —  little  better  than  infidels  —  who 
have  gone  likewise  to  perdition.    While  at  the  same 


120  SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

time,  we  are  assured  that  such  men  as  Louis  XIV, 
the  despot  of  France  and  the  persecutor  of  God's 
people,  and  Pope  Sixtus  V,  the  greatest  miser  and 
dissembler  of  his  age,  are  safe  in  heaven  ;  —  while 
we  are  presented  with  whole  heavens  full  of  Mo- 
hammedans and  heathens,  living,  as  on  earth,  in  po- 
lygamy and  adultery!  Those  who  yield  to  the 
claims  of  Swedenborg  must  believe  all  this ;  for  he 
explicitly  declares  it  on  the  authority  of  revelation. 
Those  Avho  can  not  believe  it,  as  I  said  before,  have 
no  alternative  but  to  reject  his  claims. 

Objection  8. 

I  further  object  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg,  that 
he  contradicts,  in  repeated  instances,  the  plain  facts 
of  history.  This  is  true  both  of  sacred  and  profane 
history.  The  Bible  tells  us  of  the  creation  of  the 
world,  of  our  first  parents,  of  their  primeval  happy 
state  and  subsequent  apostasy,  and  of  the  early  pro- 
genitors of  our  race.  But  Swedenborg  assures  us 
over  and  over  again,  that  there  is  not  a  word  of 
truth  or  fact  in  all  this  ;  that  the  whole  of  the  first 
eleven  chapters  of  the  Bible  is  mere  allegory.* 

Moses  informs  us  of  the  destruction  of  the  old 
world  for  its  wickedness,  by  a  deluge  of  waters;  — 
a  catastrophe  to  which  frequent  allusion  is  made  by 
our  Saviour  and  the  apostles.  But  with  Sweden- 
borg and  his  followers,  this  again  is  all  fable.  "There 
has  never  been  a  universal  deluge  of  natural  waters 

*  See  Barrett's  Lectures,  pp.  57,  200, 


CONTRADICTS  HISTORY. 


121 


upon  the  face  of  our  earth,  since  the  creation  of 
man."  * 

Swedenborg  affirms  that  "  sacrificial  worship  was 
first  instituted"  by  Eber,  who  was  of  the  fifth  gen- 
eration from  Noah,  in  the  line  of  Shem.  Gen.  x. 
24.  Before  liis  time,  sacrifices  were  entirely  un- 
known, f  But  we  are  expressly  informed  that  Noah, 
when  he  went  forth  from  the  ark,  "  builded  an  altar 
unto  the  Lord,  and  took  of  every  clean  beast,  and  of 
every  clean  fowl,  and  offered  burnt  offerings  on  the 
altar.  And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savor,"  &c. 
Gen.  viii.  20.  Now  what  was  this  but  a  sacrifice  —  a 
sacrifice,  too,  which  God  was  pleased  to  accept  ?  In- 
deed, long  before  this  time,  we  read  of  Abel's  bring- 
ing an  offering  unto  the  Lord,  of  the  firstling  of  his 
flock,  and  of  the  fat.    Gen.  iv.  4. 

Swedenborg  asserts  "that  a  trinity  of  persons 
was  unknown  in  the  apostolical  church,  and  that  it 
was  first  broached  by  the  Nicene  Council?  in  the 
fourth  century.  %  This  is  not  the  place  to  go  into  a 
Scriptural  defense  of  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity. 
Every  reader  of  the  Bible  knows,  or  may  know,  that 
the  Father  is  there  represented  as  God,  and  the  Son 
as  God,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  God ;  and  still,  there 
is  but  one  God.  Here,  then,  is  the  doctrine  of  the 
trinity  in  the  apostolical  church.  And  as  to  the 
ages  succeeding  the  apostles,  it  is  just  as  easy  to 

*  See  Barrett's  Lectures,  pp.  57,  200. 

tDiv.  Providence,  §  328.    Arcana  Celestia,  §  180. 

X  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  174. 


122  SWEDEXBOEGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


prove  the  trinity  before  the  Xieene  Council,  as  af- 
ter it.  Indeed,  how  could  that  Council  have  origi- 
nated such  a  doctrine,  on^  supposition  that  it  had 
never  been  known  before  ?  Accordingly  Sweden- 
borg,  with  his  characteristic  consistency,  acknowl- 
edges that  Christians,  even  in  the  first  age,  did  know 
and  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity.  "  Since 
the  word  is  such,  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  that  it 
distinguishes  by  several  names  those  who  neverthe- 
less are  one,  therefore,  the  Christians  of  the  first 
ages,  who  were  plain,  simple  men,  and  understood 
all  parte  of  the  word  according  to  the  sense  of  the 
letter,  distinguished  the  Divinity  into  three  persons, 
—  which,  on  account  of  their  simplicity,  was  per- 
mitted," «fec* 

Swedenborg  asserts  that  "  the  faith  imputative  of 
the  merit  of  Christ,"  or  in  other  words,  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith,  "was  not  known  in  the  apos- 
tolic church,  but  first  arose  from  the  decrees  of  t/ie 
Nvcene  Synod."  j  If  Paid  taught  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith,  then  was  the  doctrine  known 
in  the  Apostolic  church.  And  if  Paid  did  not  teach 
it,  then  words  can  not  teach  anything.  "  BeingJ^s- 
tified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God."    "  A  man 

*  Doctrine  of  the  Lord,  §  55.  Swedenborg  often  speaks  of  the 
first  Christian*  —  the  Apostles,  their  fellow  laborers  and  succes- 
sors, as"  simple  men  "  — little  better  than  simpletons.  This  is 
the  reason  assigned,  why  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  word  was  not 
disclosed  to  them.    They  could  have  understood  nothing  about  it 

t  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  632,  636. 


JUSTIFICATION. 


123 


is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ.'"  "  We  conclude  that  a  man 
is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law." 
As  to  this  doctrine's  originating  with  "  the  Nicene 
synod,"  I  need  only  say,  that  there  is  not  a  word  in 
the  Nicene  creed  or  canons,  on  the  subject. 

In  regard  to  this  doctrine  of  justification,  Sweden- 
borg  further  informs  us,  that  it  arose  from  a  "  single 
expression  "  in  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  (chap, 
hi.  28),  the  meaning  of  which  is  entirely  misunder- 
stood. Of  this  he  is  sure ;  because  he  had  spent  a 
whole  year  with  the  apostle  Paul,  and  often  con- 
ferred with  him  on  the  subject.  *  On  this  whole 
statement,  I  remark,  in  the  first  place,  that  if  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  arose  from  "a  single 
expression"  of  St.  Paul,  then  it  did  not  arise  "from 
the  decrees  of  the  Nicene  synod,"  and  Swedenborg's 
last  position  is  directly  contradicted.  But  secondly, 
this  doctrine  did  notarise  from  "a  single  expression" 
of  Paul,  as  is  evident  from  the  passages  above  quoted. 
Paxil  frequently  asserts  the  doctrine ;  and  not  he 
alone,  but  our  Saviour,  and  the  other  Apostles  and 
inspired  writers.  And  thirdly,  as  to  Swedenborg's 
conferences  with  the  Apostle  on  the  subject,  and  his 
learning  from  him  that  he  had  been  misunderstood, 
we  shall  want  more  evidence  of  this,  before  we  be- 
lieve it,  than  Swedenborg's  naked  assertion. 

Swedenborg  says  that  "the  Athanasian  creed  was 

*  Ilubart's  Life,  p.  44.  Apoo.  Revealed,  §§  417,  825.  Div. 
Providence,  §  115. 


124 


SWEDEXB0RGIAX1SM  EXAMINED-, 


written  soon  after  the  council  of  Nice,  by  one  or 
more  of  those  icho  had  been  present  at  the  council ; 
and  thence  was  received  as  cecnmerical  or  catholic."* 
The  Athanasian  creed,  so  called,  could  not  have  heen 
written  by  Athanasius,  or  by  any  of  his  cotemporaries. 
It  was  never  appealed  to  in  the  Arian  controversy,  nor 
was  it  heard  of  in  the  church,  until  a  long  time  after- 
wards. It  was  probably  composed  in  or  about  the 
sixth  century,  f 

Swedenborg  says,  "That  there  is  an  internal,  spi- 
ritual sense  in  the  word,  is  a  truth  which  has  here- 
tofore been  altogether  unknoicn  in  the  Christian 
worlds  X  Again,  "  the  sj)iritual  sense  of  the  word 
hath  been  heretofore  unknown."  §  If  this  only 
means,  that  no  Christian,  before  him,  interpreted 
Scripture  just  like  himself  the  truth  of  the  assertion 
may  be  admitted.  But  certainly  the  divines  of  the 
Alexandrian  school,  Clemens,  Origen,  and  others, 
interpreted  the  Scriptures  on  the  same  general,  alle- 
gorical principles.  They  interpreted  as  intelligibly 
and  usefully  as  Swedenborg,  and  in  many  instances, 
precisely  after  his  fashion.  So  true  is  this,  that  most 
of  the  followers  of  Swedenborg  appeal  to  the  ancient 
allegorists  as  his  prototypes  and  exemjilars.  Mr. 
Noble,  in  his  work  on  Inspiration,  has  devoted  some 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  632. 

t  See  Cave's  Historia  Literaria,  vol.  I,  p.  196.    Also  Pearson, 
Usher,  Mosheim,  &c. 
t  Hobart's  Life,  p.  159. 
§  Sacred  Scripture.  5  20. 


INTERPRETATIONS 


125 


thirty  pages  to  the  purpose  of  showing,  that  Swe- 
denborg's  method  of  interpretation  is  no  neio  thing ; 
that  it  is  sustained  by  the  example,  not  only  of  some 
of  the  early  Christians,  but  even  of  the  sacred  wri- 
ters, (pp.  49 — 76,  388.)  How  then,  I  ask,  can  it  be 
true,  that  the  doctrine  of  an  allegorical,  spiritual 
sense  "  has  heretofore  been  altogether  unknown  in  the 
Christian  icorld"? 

These  historical  errors — a  few  of  which  have  been 
pointed  out — may  be  regarded  by  some  of  my  read- 
ers as  small  matters.  And  so  they  would  be  small 
matters,  in  an  author  who  laid  no  claim  to  spiritual 
illumination.  " To  err  is  human."  But  Swedenborg 
does  lay  claim  to  spiritual  illumination  —  yea  more, 
to  divine  revelation.  When  the  Lord  first  appeared 
to  him,  he  gave  him  this  promise,  "  I  will  teach  thee 
what  thou  art  to  write."  And  on  his  death-bed, 
Swedenborg  affirmed,  "Every  thing  that  I  have  writ- 
ten is  true."  It  is  a  fair  question,  then,  to  be  looked 
into,  Is  it  all  true?  And  when  it  is  shown  conclu- 
sively that  all  is  not  true,  the  claim  of  the  professed 
teacher  of  Heavenly  mysteries  is  invalidated. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


OBJECTIONS    TO    THE    CLAIMS  AND    DOCTRINES  OF 
SWEDENBORG  CONTINUED. 

Objection  9. 

My  next  objection  to  the  teachings  of  Swedenborg 
is,  that  they  contradict,  in  a  great  variety  of  instances, 
the  plainest  and  most  universally  acknowledged  facts 
of  science.  And  this  consideration  is  the  more  im- 
portant, because  his  teachings  are  so  based  upon  his 
philosophy,  and  mixed  up  with  it,  as  to  be  insepara- 
ble from  it. 

"When  it  is  objected  to  the  Bible,  that  some  parts 
of  it  are  not  in  strict  accordance  with  the  discoveries 
of  modern  science,  it  is  a  sufficient  reply,  that  the 
Bible  was  not  wrritten  by  philosophers,  nor  does  it 
profess  to  teach  any  system  of  philosophy.  It  has  to 
do  with  higher  matters.  And  when  it  touches  upon 
the  phenomena  of  earth,  it  speaks  according  to  inva- 
riable appearances,  using  the  language  of  common. 


CONTRADICTS  SCIENCE. 


127 


life.  But  this  apology  will  not  answer  for  Sweden- 
borg.  He  did  profess  to  be  a  philosopher,  and  his 
teachings,  interpretations,  and  revelations  are  so  in- 
termingled with,  and  based  upon  his  philosophy,  that 
(hey  can  not  be  separated  from  it.  Such  is  the  ac- 
knowledgment, I  had  almost  said  the  boast  of  his 
followers.  "  The  profoundest  philosophy,"  says  Mr. 
Bush,  "  lies  at  the  basis  of  all  his  revelations."  * 
"Whatever  may  have  been  the  nature  of  Sweden- 
borg's  distempered  fancy,"  says  Mr.  Clissold,  "we  are 
not  to  look  for  this  distemper  primarily  in  his  visions, 
but  in  the  philosophy  which  led  to  them.  Here  is  the 
origin  of  the  evil,  if  it  be  one.  The  fanaticism,  if  it 
be  such,  is  not  primarily  in  the  visions,  but  in  the 
philosophy  ;  and  our  opponents  must  take  ivp  the 
question  on  this  ground,  if  they  will  take  it  up  on 
the  only  ground  on  which  it  can  be  decided."  f  This, 
then,  is  the  ground  on  which  I  propose  now  to  con- 
dder  the  question.  I  urge  it  as  a  valid  objection  to 
the  claims  of  Swedenborg,  that  he  contradicts,  in  a 
variety  of  instances,  the  plainest  and  most  univer- 
sally acknowledged  facts  of  science.  This  is  true, 
both  of  physical  and  mental  science.  Let  us  first 
look  at  the  question  in  reference  to  the  former. 

It  is  known  that  the  planets  Herschel  and  Nep- 
tune,—  which  have  been  discovered  since  the  time  of 
Swedenborg,  —  are  at  vastly  greater  distances  from 
the  Sun  than  Saturn.    But  Swedenborg  decides 

*  Swedenborg  Library,  p.  7. 
t  Letter,  &o.,  p.  202. 


>v :;:>!:xboki;iantism  examined. 


positively,  after  the  most  ample  means  of  information 
in  the  spiritual  world,  that  "the  planet  Saturn  is  the 
farthest  distant  from  the  Sun,"  and  that  this  is  the 
reason  why  it  is  furnished  with  a  "  large,  luminous 
belt."  * 

Swedenborg  knew  nothing  of  the  modern  dis- 
coveries in  chemistry,  but  adopted,  among  his  reve- 
lations, the  old  theory  of  the  four  elements,  —  earth, 
air,  fire,  and  water.  He  decides  that  the  common 
principles,  or  elements,  of  which  all  things  are  com- 
posed, are  earth,  atmosphere,  and  water.  But  neither 
earth,  atmosphere,  nor  water  are,  in  any  sense,  ele- 
ments. They  are  each  of  them  most  exquisite  com- 
pounds, made  up  of  elementary  substances,  —  a  fact 
of  which,  with  all  his  revelations,  Swedenborg  was 
profoundly  ignorant. 

The  following  is  Swedenborg's  description  of  the 
atmosphere  :  It  consists,  he  says,  of  "  discrete  sub- 
stances (particles)  of  a  very  minute  form,  originating 
from  the  sun.  The  fire  of  the  sun  each  of  them  re- 
ceives, treasures  it  up,  tempers  it,  and  conveys  it  as 
heat  to  the  earth ;  and  in  like  manner  also  the  light." 
What  will  our  modern  lecturers  about  oxygen,  nitro- 
gen and  carbon  say  to  this  '? 

According  to  Swedenborg,  love  has  an  important 
work  to  perform  in  the  physiology  of  the  human  sys- 
tem. The  reason  why  blood  is  red,  he  says,  is  "the 
correspondence  of  the  heart  and  the  blood  with  love 


*  Earths  in  the  Universe,  §  3. 


ON  BLOOD. 


129 


and  its  "jf  rtions"  "Forasmuch  as  there  is  a  corres- 
pondence of  love  with  the  heart,  there/ore  the  blood 
can  not  be  otherwise  than  red"  Modern  physiologists 
have  ascertained  that  the  redness  of  the  blood  is 
owing  to  the  presence  of  iron  in  the  system.  But 
Swedenborg  says  no.  It  is  owing  rather 'to  the  pre- 
sence of  looe. 

It  seems  that  love,  too,  is  the  sole  cause  of  vital, 
animal  heat.  "That  in  man,  and  in  every  animal, 
there  is  vital  heat,  is  known  ;  but  whence  its  origin, 
is  not  known.  Every  one  speaks  of  it  with  conjec- 
ture." But  Swedenborg,  as  he  speaks  from  revelation, 
can  speak  with  authority.  . "  He  who  knoweth,"  says 
he,  "  that  there  is  a  correspondence  of  love  and  its 
affections  with  the  heart  and  its  derivations,  may 
know  that  love  is  the  origin  of  vital  heat.  For  love 
proceeds  from  the  spiritual  sun  as  heat,  and  flows,  by 
correspondence,  into  the  heart,  and  its  blood,  and 
gives  it  heat."  * 

That  the  blood  undergoes  some  change  in  the 
lungs,  Swedenborg  understood  ;  but  as  to  the  nature 
and  cause  of  the  change,  he  entertained  the  wildest 
theories,  all  which  he  mixes  up,  as  usual,  with  his 
spiritual  correspondences.  1.  "The  blood  purifies 
itself  in  the  lungs  from  things  undigested,"  as  the 
"  chyle  collected  from  food  and  drink."  2.  "  From  the 
air  which  is  attracted,  the  blood  also  nourisheth  itself 
with  things  conducible."    This  "is  evident,"  he  says, 

*  "  Heavenly  heat,  which  is  love,  makes  the  vital  heal  which 
it  in  man."    Arcana  f'elestia,  §  6190. 
'.) 


130 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMIXED. 


"  from  the  immense  abundance  of  odors  and  exhala- 
tions issuing  continually  from  shrubberies,  flower- 
gardens,  and  nurseries  of  trees ;  and  from  the  im- 
mense quantity  of  salts  of  various  kinds,  issuing  with 
waters  from  the  earth,  rivers,  and  lakes ;  and  from 
the  immense  quantity  of  exhalations  and  effluvia 
from  men  and  animals,  with  which  the  air  is  impreg- 
nated. That  these  flow  into  the  lungs,  with  the  air 
which  is  attracted,  can  not  be  denied;  nor  can  it  be 
denied  that  the  blood  attracts  from  them  such  things 
as  are  conducible  to  it,  or  which  correspond  to  the 
affections  of  its  love."  "  That  the  blood  in  the  lungs 
purifieth  and  nourisheth  itself,  correspondent!)/  to  the 
affections  of  the  mind,  is  not  yet  known  on  earth ; 
but  it  is  very  well  known  in  the  spiritual  tcorld  ;  for 
the  angels  who  are  in  the  heavens  are  delighted  only 
with  those  odors  which  correspond  to  the  love  of 
their  wisdom ;  whereas  the  spirits  in  hell  are  delighted 
only  with  odors  which  correspond  to  the  love  which 
is  in  opposition  to  wisdom;  the  latter  odors  are 
stenches,  but  the  former  odors  are  fragrances."* 
Swedenborg  here  brings  in  the  angels  to  give  autho- 
rity to  his  doctrine,  about  the  blood  in  the  lungs  pu- 
rifying itself  from  chyle,  and  nourishing  itself  with 
odors,  fragrant  or  offensive,  corresponding  to  the 
character  of  its  love.  Those  who  admit  his  claims 
must,  of  course,  believe  him,  whatever  may  become 
of  their  physiology,  or  their  common  sense. 

*  See  Wisdom  of  Angels  concerning  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom. 
S§  163—157,  172—178,  282—290,  302,  379,  380,  420. 


OX  BLOOD. 


131 


We  give  another  extract  on  the  same  subject, 
though  presenting  it  in  a  somewhat  different  light. 
'■With  every  one,  the  blood  in  the  lungs  is  deprived 
of  its  phlegm,  and  is  nourished  by  the  volatile  ele- 
ments and  odors  supplied  from  the  air;  but  yet  alto- 
gether in  a  different  manner  with  the  good,  from 
what  it  is  with  the  evil.  What  is  the  nature  of  the 
purification  and  nourishment  of  the  blood  in  the 
lungs,  with  the  good  and  with  the  evil,  may  be  con- 
cluded from  the  following  experience:  In  the  spirit- 
ual world,  a  good  spirit  attracts  with  his  nostrils 
all  fragrances  and  sweet  smells  with  delight;  but 
an  evil  spirit  attracts  with  his  nostrils  what  is 
putrid  and  stinking,  with  delight."  Hence,  the 
blood  of  a  good  man  on  the  earth  is  nourished 
with  sweet  odors,  but  the  blood  of  a  bad  man  with 
such  as  are  offensive.  Swedenborg  goes  on  to  say, 
that  "the  human  blood,  in  its  inmost  principles,  is 
spiritual,  but  in  its  outermost  principles  is  corporeal. 
Wherefore,  they  who  are  spiritual  nourish  it  from 
such  things  in  nature  as  correspond  to  things  spirit- 
ual ;  but  they  who  are  natural  nourish  it  from  such 
things  in  nature  as  correspond  to  it.  Hence,  the  dis- 
similitude of  the  blood  in  men  is  as  great  as  is  the 
dissimilitude  of  thnr  lore*?  *  On  this  principle,  the 
character  of  a  man  might  be  exactly  estimated,  by 
an  analysis  of  his  blood  ;  the  better  his  character,  the 
purer  his  blood,  and  vice  versa. 


*  Treatise  on  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  pp.  132. 


132 


SWEDEXUOKGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


The  Scriptures  represent  God  as  the  Creator  of  all 
things.  He  "created  heaven  and  the  things  which 
therein  are,  and  the  earth  and  the  things  which 
therein  are,  and  the  sea  and  the  things  which  are 
therein."  "  By  him  were  all  things  created  that  are 
in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth."  "  The  great 
and  wide  sea,  wherein  are  things  creeping  innu- 
merable, both  small  and  great ;  behemoth,  levia- 
than, dragons  and  all  depths,  beasts  and  all  cat- 
tle, creeping  things  and  flying  fowl,"  —  all  are 
represented  as  the  workmanship  of  his  hand.  And 
these  teachings  of  revelation  are  in  strict  accordance 
with  those  of  philosophy  and  reason.  Where  •  is 
the  being  or  thing,  animal,  vegetable  or  mineral ; 
in  the  air,  or  on  the  earth,  or  under  the  earth, 
or  in  the  sea,  which  reason  docs  not  assure  us  is 
sustained  by  the  power  and  the  providence  of  God, 
and  which  does  not  owe  its  existence  to  him  ?  But 
these  obvious  teachings,  both  of  science  and  revela- 
tion, Swedenborg  directly  contradicts.  According 
to  him,  a  vast  multitude  of  creatures  and  things,  per- 
haps a  majority  —  animals,  vegetables,  and  minerals, 
did  not  originate  from  God,  but  from  the  hells.  "  Such 
in  the  animal  kingdom  are  poisonous  serpents,  scor- 
pions, crocodiles,  dragons,  tigers,  wolves,  foxes, 
swine,  *  owls,  screech-owls,  rats,  mice,  locusts,  frogs, 
bats,  spiders,  flies,  drones,  moths,  lice,  mites,  in  a 
word,  all  those  which  consume  grasses,  leaves,  fruits, 
seeds,  meat  and  drink,  and  are  noxious  to  beasts  and 

*  Let  no  Swederiborgian  after  this  dare  to  eat  pork. 


ON  SMELLS. 


133 


men.  In  the  vegetable  kingdom,  they  are  all  malig- 
nant, virulent  and  poisonous  herbs,  and  pnlse  and 
shrubs  of  the  same  kind  ;  also  in  the  mineral  king- 
dom, all  poisonous  eMths."  Such  things  in  the  natu- 
ral world  did  not  derive  their  origin  from  the  Lord  ; 
neither  were  they  created  from  the  beginning  /  neither 
did  they  originate  from  nature,  by  her  sun ;  but 
they  are  from  hell."  "  The  influx  from  hell  im- 
mediately produces  such  things,  when  the  tempera- 
ment is  favorable"  "  They  originate  by  immediate 
influx  from  hell."  *  In  another  work  he  says,  "beasts 
and  Avild  animals,  whose  souls  are  similar  evil  affec- 
tions, were  not  created  from  the  beginning  y  such  as 
mice,  venomous  serpents,  crocodiles,  basilisks,  vipers, 
and  the  like,  with  the  various  kinds  of  noxious  in- 
sects ;  but  have  originated  and  arisen  with  hell,  in 
stagnant  lakes,  marshes,  putrid  and  fetid  waters,  <fcc, 
with  which  the  malignant  loves  of  the  infernal  soci- 
eties communicate.  From  the  beginning,  only  useful 
and  clean  beasts  were  created,  whose  souls  are  good 
affections."  f  In  these  decisions  of  Swedenborg, 
Mr.  Noble  entirely  acquiesces.  "  It  may  be  safely 
concluded," says  he,  "since  nothing  noxious  can  have 
its  direct  prototype  in  God,  that  all  hurtful  things 

*  Angelic  Wisdom  concerning  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  §§  338, 
339,  343,  347.  Swedenborgians  teach  that  hell  itself  is  a  creation 
of  man.  *'  It  was  not  created  by  God,  since  God  is  love  ;  but  hell 
is  from  man.  Man  alone  created  U."  Letters  to  a  Man  of  the 
World,  p.  121. 

t  All],  Treed,  §  'JO. 


loi  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


either  first  acquired  their  noxious  nature,  or  first  be- 
gan to  exist,  when  evil  established  itself  in  the  human 
mind."  * 

Waiving  all  other  objeetions«to  these  statements, 
it  follows  conclusively  from  them,  or  rather  is  in- 
volved in  them,  that  no  odious,  noxious  creatures 
existed  on  this  earth,  j>revious  to  the  creation  and 
the  fall  of  man.  But  how  does  this  agree  with  the 
Scripture  representation,  that  it  was  a  serpent  which 
tempted  our  first  mother?  And  how  shall  it  be 
made  to  harmonize  with  the  recent  discoveries  of 
geologists  ?  They  tell  us  of  frightful,  horrible  crea- 
tures —  monsters  both  of  the  land  and  of  the  deep, 
armed  with  terrible  weapons  of  destruction,  and  dis- 
closing the  remains  of  slaughtered  myriads  under 
their  capacious  ribs,  which  must  have  lived  and  died, 
and  become  imbedded  in  the  solid  rocks,  at  a  period 
long  anterior  to  the  existence  of  man,  or  to  the  fit- 
ting up  of  the  world  for  his  creation. 

Swedenborg  taught  that  men,  before  the  fall,  "  had 
no  external  respiration,  and  no  sonorous,  articulate 
language,  such  as  took  place  afterwards  ;  but  com- 
municated their  ideas  one  to  another,  by  numberless 
changes  of  the  countenance,  by  the  varied  motions 
of  the  lips,  and  by  the  lively  expressions  of  the  eye." 
But  at  the  time  of  the  fall,  "  external  respiration 
commenced,  and  together  with  it  external  language."! 
If  I  were  to  say,  that  this  statement  contradicts  ex- 

*  Inspiration,  p.  113. 

t  Arcana  Celestia,  §  1118.    Hindmarsh's  Compend.  pp.  17,  22. 


RESPIRATION. 


135 


pressly  some  of  the  first  chapters  in  the  Bible,  Swe- 
denborgians  might  reply  that  these  chapters  are  all 
fable.  But  I  may  and  do  assert,  that  the  statement 
is  so  at  war  with  reason  and  common  sense,  as  to  be 
wholly  incredible.  Men  at  that  period  had  organs" 
of  respiration,  else  they  were  not  men ;  and  who 
believes  that  these  organs  were  never  exercised? 
Who  believes  that  whole  generations  of  men  lived 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  without  ever  breathing 
the  breath  of  life,  or  having  any  oral  communi- 
cation with  one  another?  They  had  lungs,  as  Swe- 
denborg  admits  in  other  parts  of  his  works ;  but  in- 
stead of  using  them,  like  other  men,  they  had  only 
what  he  calls  "  an  internal  respiration,  proceeding 
from  the  navel  towards  the  heart." 

Equally  contradictory  to  all  reason  and  science  is 
Swedenborg's  account  of  the  origin  of  diseases.  He 
ascribes  them  frequently,  and  perhaps  universally, 
to  the  infestation  of  evil  spirits.  "  Evil  spirits,"  says 
he,  "  have  been  often,  and  for  a  long  time,  applied  to 
me ;  and  according  to  their  presence,  they  induced 
pains,  and  also  diseases."  Under  the  influence  of 
some,  "  I  was  seized  with  heaviness,  with  pain,  with 
disease,  which  ceased  in  a  moment,  as  soon  as  the 
spirits  were  expelled."  Other  spirits  "  infuse  unclean 
hailds,  as  are  those  of  a  cold  fever,  which  also  it  was 
given  mo  to  know  by  repeated  experience.  The  same 
spirits  likewise  cause  swoonings"  "  Other  spirits, 
when  allowed  to  flow  into  the  body,  induce  pain  in 
the  teeth  ;  and  upon  their  nearest  presence,  so  severe, 


136 


S WEDES BOKGI AXLSM  E X A.MI.VK1). 


that  I  could  not  endure  it.  And  so  far  as  they  were 
removed,  the  pain  ceased;  which  was  shown  me  re- 
peatedly, that  no  doubt  might  rem:. in."  *  Other  spi- 
rits, when  they  are  present,  '-induce  great  pain  by 
weariness,  which  they  inwardly  increase  even  to  the 
highest  degree  of  impatience,  inducing  such  infirmity 
in  the  mind,  and  thence  in  the  body,  that  the  man 
can  scarce  raise  himself  from  the  bed."  "There  have 
been  spirits  with  me,  who  induced  such  a  heaviness 
in  the  stomach,  that  I  seemed  to  myself  scarce  able 
to  live.  The  heaviness  was  so  great,  that  with  others 
it  would  have  occasioned  fainting;  but  the  spirits 
were  removed,  and  it  then  instantly  ceased."  "On 
a  time,  I  perceived  somewhat  of  anxiety  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  stomach,  from  which  it  was  made  mani- 
fest to  me  that  such  evil  spirits  were  present.  I 
spoke  with  them  saying,  that  it  was  better  they 
should  retire."  This  class  of  demons  seem  to  have 
annoyed  Swedenborg  not  a  little,  as  they  frequently 
do  other  men  of  studious  and  sedentary  habits. 
Speaking  of  them  again,  he  says.  "  There  are  certain 
spirits  that  are  not  joined  to  hell,  as  being  newly  de- 
parted from  the  body,  which  delight  in  things  undi- 
gested, such  as  meat  corrupted  in  the  stomach ;  and 

*  Mr.  Robsam  says  in  his  Memoir,  "  I  once  visited  Swedenborg,' 
■when  he  complained  of  a  grievous  tooth  ache,  which  he  had  en- 
dured many  days.  I  recommended  some  common  remedy,  but  he 
refused  to  use  it,  saying,  "  My  pain  proceeds,  not  from  the  nerve 
of  the  tooth,  but  from  the  influx  of  hypocritical  spirits  which  beset 
me,  and  cause  this  plague."    Hobart's  Life,  p.  216. 


EVIL  SPIRITS. 


137 


they  hold  their  confabulations  in  such  sinks  of  un- 
cleanness  in  man,  as  are  suitable  to  their  impure 
affections.  That  they  cause  uneasiness,  I  am  fully 
convinced  ;  for  I  have  seen  and  heard  them,  and  felt 
the  uneasiness  caused  by  them,  and  I  have  also  con- 
versed with  them."  On  some  occasions,  Swedenborg 
was  possessed  of  spirits  which  cause  a  temporary 
suppression  of  urine.  *  His  biographer  says  he  was 
troubled  with  the  stone. 

Swedenborg  makes  the  above  statements,  it  will 
be  borne  in  mind,  not  as  with  hiin  matters  of  opinion, 
but  as  undoubted  facts,  of  which  he  had  come  to  the 
knowledge  through  his  intercourse  with  the  invisible 
world.  And,  if  they  be  facts,  I  have  only  to  say 
that  the  practice  of  exorcism  should  be  at  once  re- 
vived, and  should  supersede  every  where  that  of 
dentistry  and  medicine.  Let  persons  only  be  rid  of 
their  evil  spirits,  and  they  will  no  longer  be  troubled 
with  diseases  and  pains. 

Swedenborg  has  a  favorite  theory  —  one  of  which 
he  speaks  in  repeated  instances,  as  to  the  origin  of 
idolatry,  and  the  origin  and  nature  of  the  Egyptian 
hieroglyphics.  It  is  in  brief,  as  follows :  The  most 
ancient  people,  those  which  existed  before  the  flood 
and  immediately  after  it,  possessed  the  science  of  cor- 
respondences; or,  in  other  words,  they  knew  that 
every  outward  object  in  nature  represented  some  in- 
ward thought  or  affection  ;  and  also  what  thoughts 


*  Arcana  Celestu,  §§  5170,  5386,  5711—5723. 


138 


S  \V  E  DKN  BOKGI  AX  ISM  EXAMINED. 


and  affections  external  objects  did  represent.  Pos- 
sessing this  knowledge  and  greatly  prizing  it,  they 
filled  their  houses  and  temples  with  the  pictures  and 
images  of  such  things  as  represented  moral  and  re- 
ligious truths.  This  they  did  with  no  bad  intent, 
but  rather  for  their  own  instruction,  and  imprpve- 
ment.  But  in  process  of  time,  their  descendants,  not 
retaining  the  science  of  correspondences,  and  not 
knowing  the  import  of  the  pictures  and  images,  be- 
gan to  worship  them  as  gods.  Hence  the  origin  of 
the  ancient  idolatry.  * 

If  this  be  a  true  statement,  it  follows  that  the  an- 
cient idolatry  must  all  have  been  of  the  same  kind. 
At  least,  the  same  objects  of  worship  must  have  been 
found  in  all  places.  Whereas  nothing  can  be  more 
diverse  than  the  objects  of  ancient  idolatrous  wor- 
ship ;  some  nations  worshipping  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars ;  others  fire ;  others  their  own  departed  heroes ; 
others  images  of  the  most  grotesque  and  frightful 
forms ;  others  stones,  birds,  beasts,  insects,  and  creep- 
ing things. 

Swedenborg  says  that  the  Egyptians  retained  the 
knowledge  of  correspondences  longer  than  any  other 
people  ;  and  that  the  whole  system  of  hieroglyphical 
writing  is  founded  upon  it.  According  to  him,  the 
hieroglyphics  are  all  of  them  of  a  symbolical  charac- 
ter, each  representing  some  doctrine  or  affection, 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  205,  833.  Appendix,  §  43.  Conj. 
Love,  §  342.  Sacred  Scripture,  §  23.  Hindmarsh's  Compendium, 
p.  134.    Barrett's  Lectures,  p.  190. 


CORRESPONDENCES. 


139 


some  intellectual,  moral  or  spiritual  truth.  "  Each 
carved  thing,"  he  says,  "represents  some  particular 
of  virtue  or  truth,  and  many  together  represent  vir- 
tue itself,  or  truth  itself,  in  a  common,  extended 
form.  These  are  what  in  Egypt  were  called  hiero- 
glyphics." As  Swedenborg  was  in  full  possession  of 
the  science  of  correspondences,  imparted  to  him  di- 
rectly from  heaven,  he  must  have  understood  this 
matter  perfectly.  He  must  have  known  whereof  he 
affirmed.  Indeed,  Dr.  Hartley,  one  of  his  personal 
friends  and  earliest  followers,  assures  us  that  he  did 
know.  "The  doctrine  of  correspondences,"  he  says, 
"continued  longest  among  the  Egyptians,  and  the 
hieroglyphics  are  the  last  remains  of  it.  The  know- 
ledge of  these  has  long  been  lost  to  the  world,  and 
only  remains  with  our  author  (Swedenborg)  who  is 
possessed  of  it"  *  The  system  of  Swedenborg  is 
then  fully  committed  to  this  view  of  the  hieroglyph- 
ics —  the  view  which  prevailed,  perhaps  universally, 
in  the  time  of  Swedenborg  —  that  they  are  all  of  a 
symbolical  or  enigmatical  character,  each  one  repre- 
senting some  affection  or  truth.  But  unfortunately 
for  the  system,  the  hieroglyphics  have  since  been  de- 
ciphered. The  hand-writing  on  the  monuments  and 
tombs  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  has  been  read.  The 
investigation  reaches  back  to  very  ancient  times  — 
to  a  period  earlier  than  that  of  the  sojourn  of  the 
Israelites  in  Egypt.  And  what  is  the  result  ?  Cham- 


*  Influx,  Hartley's  Edition,  §  6,  note. 


HO 


SWEDENBORGIAN'IS.U  EXAMINED. 


pollion  assures  us,  that  by  far  the  greater  portion  of 
the  Egyptian  hieroglyphics  are  simple  alphabetical 
characters.  There  is  no  more  enigma  or  mystery 
about  them  than  about  our  own  A,  B,  C.  Of  the 
remainder,  a  part  are  mere  pictures  /  the  picture  of 
a  man  standing  for  a  man,  and  that  of  a  lion  for  a 
lion,  &c.  A  small  portion  of  the  hieroglyphics  are 
used  as  symbols ;  and  seem  to  have  come  into  such 
use  in  the  same  manner  as  tropes  and  metaphors  with 
us.*  So  much  for  Swedenborg's  alleged  knowledge 
of  hieroglyphics,  and  for  the  support  they  were  ex- 
pected to  give  to  his  doctrine  of  correspondences. 
The  utter  failure  of  the  proposed  theory  is  enough 
to  overthrow  the  whole  doctrine  of  correspondences, 
and  to  destroy  all  credit  in  him  as  an  inspired  and 
infallible  teacher. 

I  have  noticed  several  instances  in  which  the 
teachings  of  Swedenborg  contradict,  or  rather  are 
contradicted  by,  the  facts  and  deductions  of  natural 
science.  I  proceed  to  mention  two  or  three,  in  which 
they  are  equally  inconsistent  with  mental  science. 

Perhaps  no  fact  in  mental  science  is  better  estab- 
lished, on  the  ground  of  a  common  consciousness, 
and  the  general  consent  of  the  ablest  metaphysicians, 
than  that  there  are  three  great  departments  or  sus- 
ceptibilities of  mind,  the  intellectual,  the  sentient,  and 
the  voluntary,  f    We  have  ideas,  emotions,  and  voli- 

*  See  Greppo's  Essay,  pp.  34 — 46. 

*  Some  metaphysicians  speak  at  four  mental  susceptibilities, — 


CONSCIENCE. 


141 


Hons.  We  think,  we  feel,  we  will.  These  mental 
states  are  clearly  distinguishable,  one  from  the  other, 
and  perhaps  there  is  no  mental  affection  or  opera- 
tion of  which  we  are  conscious,  which  may  not  be 
referred  to  one  or  the  other  of  these  three  general 
susceptibilities.  But  Swedenborg  adheres  to  the  old 
classification  on  this  subject,  merging  the  sentient  in 
the  voluntary,  and  making  the  whole  mind  to  con- 
sist of  understand! rig  and  will.  This  imperfect  clas- 
sification is  incorporated  with  his  correspondences, 
and  lies  at  the  foundation  of  his  whole  system  of  re- 
ligion. His  wisdom  and  love,  good  and  truth,  char- 
ity and  faith,  evil  and  false,  are  all  based  on  his 
philosophy  about  understanding  and  will.  Yet  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  affirming  that  this  is  a  false 
philosophy,  and  that  it  must  obscure  and  falsify, 
more  or  less,  every  system  of  religion  into  which  it 
enters. 

Conscience  is  the  faculty  or  power  of  the  mind,  by 
which  we  discern  moral  relations,  perceive  the  differ- 
ence between  right  and  wrong,  and  feel  the  force  of 
moral  obligation.  It  is  that  power  by  which  man  is 
chiefly  distinguished  from  the  brutes,  and  is  made  a 
moral,  accountable  being.  It  is  a  natural  endow- 
ment of  the  human  mind,  and  can  never  be  put  off, 
so  long  as  the  mind  exists.  I  here  state  no  mere 
opinion  of  my  own,  but  a  well  established  and  all 
but  universally  acknowledged  fact  of  mental  sci- 

the  scnmtinnal,  the  intellect/ml,  the  emotional,  and  the  volun- 
tary. 


142  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


ence.  Yet  Swedenborp-  denies  this  fact  altogether. 
He  says  that  conscience  is  an  acquired  state  or  habit 
of  mind,  the  result  of  education,  and  is  peculiar  to 
the  present  life.  Neither  the  happiness  nor  the  mis- 
ery of  the  other  world  is  in  any  degree  the  effect  of 
conscience ;  for  there  is  no  conscience  there.  * 

Swedenborg  thought  that  "every  man  lias  two 
memories,  one  exterior,  the  other  interior ; "  the  for- 
mer of  which  "  is  proper  to  his  body,  the  latter  to  his 
spirit."  f  I  regard  this  as  wholly  a  gratuitous  as- 
sumption, not  warranted  by  consciousness,  and  not 
necessary  to  account  for  any  facts  which  come  within 
our  apprehension.  He  might  with  as  much  reason 
affirm  that  man  has  ten  memories,  as  that  he  has 
two. 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  665,  666.    Arcana  Celestia,  §  965. 
Hindmarsh's  Compendium,  p.  80. 
t  Arcana  Celestia,  §  2469. 


\ 


CHAPTER  IX. 

OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  DOCTRINES  OP 
SWEDENBOEG,  CONTINUED. 

Objection  10. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  teachings  of  Swedenborg  as 
being  inconsistent  with  the  facts  both  of  history  and 
science.  I  now  add,  that  they  are,  in  many  points, 
irreconcilably  inconsistent  with  themselves.  Many 
instances  of  this  nature  which  might  be  mentioned, 
an  I  which  I  had  actually  noted  for  consideration,  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  pass  over.  Enough,  however,  will 
be  introduced  to  satisfy  every  reader,  that  my  objec- 
tion is  not  without  foundation. 

Swedenborg  taught,  that  all  the  spirits  and  angels 
of  the  other  world,  good  and  bad,  are  of  the  human 
species,  and  once  lived  in  bodies  on  the  earths.  He 
also  taught,  that  "  unless  spirits  and  angels  were  con- 
tinually present  with  men  in  this  world,  they  would 
be  utterly  incapable  of  thought,  affection,  or  even 


144  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


of  life."  "  Without  communication  by  spirits  with 
the  world  of  spirits,  and  by  angels  with  heaven,  it 
would  be  utterly  impossible  for  man  to  live.  His  life 
dependeth  entirely  upon  such  conjunction ;  so  that 
supposing  spirits  and  angels  to  depart  from  him,  he 
would  instantly  perish."  *  But  how,  I  ask,  are  these 
positions  to  stand  together  ?  Unless  men  live  on 
this  earth  (or  some  other)  and  die,  and  go  into  the 
world  of  spirits,  there  are  no  spirits  there.  But 
without  communication  with  spirits  in  that  world,  it 
is  impossible  for  men  to  live  at  all  in  this.  Man's 
"  life  dependeth  entirely  on  such  conjunction ;  so  that 
supposing  spirits  and  angels  to  depart  from  him,  he 
would  instantly  perish?  There  must  be  spirits  in 
this  world,  before  any  can  be  in  that;  and  there 
must  be  spirits  there,  or  none  could  live  here  a  mo- 
ment ! 

The  same  inconsistency  attaches  to  Swedenborg's 
account  of  man's  free-agency.  He  strenuously  in- 
sists, that  every  man  is,  and  must  be,  a  free  agent.f 
But  in  what  does  his  free  agency  consist,  and  where 
does  it  originate  ?  "  Its  origin,"  he  says,  "  is  from 
the  spiritual  'world;''''  and  it  consists  in  this,  that 
man  is  in  perpetual  communication  with  good  and 
evil  spirits,  and  is  held  in  a  sort  of  moral  equilibri- 
um between  the  good  and  the  bad  influences  which 
beset  him;  "in  consequence  of  which,"  to  use  the 

*  Arcana  Celestia,  §  50.    Clowe's  Plain  Answer,  p.  fi4. 
t  True  Chris.  Religion,  chap.  viii. 


SELF  CONTRADICTION'S. 


145 


language  of  the  New  Church  creed,  "  he  anjoy&free- 
wiU,  or  freedom  of  choice,  in  spiritual  things,  as  well 
as  in  natural."  But  how  is  this  theory  of  free  agen- 
cy consistent  with  itself?  Without  the  equilibrium 
between  good  and  bad  spirits,  we  are  told,  there  can 
be  no  free  agency.  And  yet,  without  free  agency, 
there  can  be  no  moral  character,  good  or  bad,  and, 
of  course,  no  good  or  bad  spirits.  The  theory  sup- 
poses, necessarily,  the  existence  of  good  and  bad  spi- 
rits, before  there  can  be  free  agency  ;  and  the  exist- 
ence of  free  agency,  before  there  can  be  good  or 
bad  spiiits,  —  which  is  absurd. 

The  same  difficulty  may  be  presented  in  another 
view.  There  can  be  no  free  agency,  we  are  told,  and 
consequently  no  sin,  but  through  the  influence  of 
evil  spirits.  Indeed,  Mr.  Clissold  says  expressly: 
"  To  a  wicked  man,  the  ministration  of  evil  spirits  is 
indispensably  necessary.  Without  them,  he  would 
have  no  power  to  will  or  to  do  what  was  evil."  And 
Mr.  Parsons  says  :  "  The  passions  and  sinful  propen- 
sities to  which  we  yield  would  not  have  been  stirred 
into  activity,  without  the  influence  of  those  who  live 
forever  in  such  delights,"  i.  e.  "  in  hell."  *  But  on 
this  ground,  how  are  we  to  account  for  the  first  sin- 
ners ?  There  must  be  sinners  before  the  first  sinners 
to  stir  up  the  evil  passions  and  propensities  to  which 
the  first  sinners  yielded,  and  before  which  they  fell ! 

But  these  are  not  the  only  inconsistencies  charge- 

♦Clissnld's  Letter,  p.  170.    Parson's  Essays,  p.  64. 
10 


146  SWEDEXUOKrUAXl.SM  EXAMINED. 

able  upon  Swedenborg,  in  regard  to  the  matter  of 
free  agency.  As  remarked  above,  he  was  a  strenu- 
ous asserter  of  human  freedom ;  holding  man  to  be 
in  such  sense  free,  that  he  can  not  be  restrained  jrom 
sinning,  without  destroying  his  accountable  nature. 
When  "it  is  said  that  God permitteth,"  says  he,  "it 
is  not  meant  that  he  willeth,  but  that  he  can  not  pre- 
vent such  a  thing"  *  And  yet,  according  to  Swe- 
denborg, man  is  nothing,  and  has  nothing,  but  what 
is  from  God.  He  is  but  a  mere  ]^ssive  1'ecipient  of 
an  influx  from  the  Creator.  Where  then,  I  ask,  is 
his  freedom,  his  activity  ?  Where,  especially,  is  such 
freedom  as  Swedenborg  ascribes  to  him  ?  Manifest- 
ly all  room  and  ground  for  it  ai*e  taken  away.  Ac- 
cordingly Swedenborg  confesses,  in  more  than  one 
passage  of  his  writings,  that  the  free  agency  of  man 
is  not  real,  but  only  apparent.  God  alone  is  the  first 
agent ;  and  man  suffers  himself  to  be  acted  upon, 
and  re-acts  in  appearance  as  from  himself  ;  though 
in  truth,  such  re-action  deeply  considered,  is  also 
from  God.f 

*  Div.  Providence,  §  234.  Speaking  of  the  cruelty  of  the  Jews, 
Mr.  Parsons  says,  "  It  was  not  checked,  because,  so  far  as  they 
were  concerned  it  could  not  have  been,  without  doing  violence  to 
that  freedom  which  is  always  regarded  by  Divine  Providence." 
Essays,  p.  187. 

t  Influx.  §  14.  In  regard  to  this  matter  of  free  agency,  Swe- 
denborg insists  that  man  is  deceived,  and  must  be,  and  ought  to 
be.  "  Self-derived  prudence  is  nothing ;  and  only  appears  as  if 
it  was  otherwise,  and  also  ought  so  to  appear."  See  the  discus, 
sion  of  this  proposition  in  Divine  Providence,  §  210. 


HIS  INCONSISTENCIES. 


147 


But  I  have  not  yet  done  with  Swedenborg's  in- 
consistencies, in  relation  to  this  general  subject.  Al- 
though everything  in  man  is  by  an  influx  from  God, 
yet  "  the  reception  of  this  influx  is  according  to  the 
state  of  love  and  wisdom  in  man ; "  *  or  in  other 
words,  according  to  his  character.  If  his  character 
is  good,  the  influx  produces  good  ;  but  if  bad,  the 
influx  produces  bad.  This  position  is  assumed,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  conclusion  that  God,  by  his  influx, 
is  the  author  of  sin.  But  how,  I  ask,  came  man  by 
his  previous  character ;  or  by  the  previously  favora- 
ble or  unfavorable  state  of  his  receptivity  ?  Did  he 
make  it  himself?  Then  everything  in  him  is  not  by 
influx  from  God.  Did  he  inherit  it  from  his  parents  ? 
But  how  did  they  receive  it  ?  Obviously,  everything 
in  man  is  not  by  influx  from  God,  else  we  are  pre- 
sented with  another  of  the  same  class  of  absurdities, 
viz.  an  influx  before  the  first  influx,  to  form  the  state 
of  love  and  wisdom  in  accordance  with  which  the 
first  influx  is  to  operate. 

In  one  of  his  publications,  Swedenborg  lays  down 
the  following  propositions,  and  argues  them  at  con- 
siderable length  :  "  The  divine  essence  itself  is  love 
and  wisdom."  "  The  divine  love  and  the  divine 
wisdom  are  a  substance  and  a  form"  "  The  divine 
love  and  the  divine  wisdom  are  a  substance  and 
form  in  themselves,  consequently  self -subsisting. "  f 
The  divine  love  and  wisdom  are  usually  and  justly 
♦Influx,  §  11. 

t  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  §§  28,  40,  44. 


148  SWECENBOEGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


considered  as  attributes  of  God,  and  not  as  consti- 
tuting bis  very  substance  and  essence.  And  so  they 
are  represented  by  Swedenborg  in  other  places. 
"  The  divine  love  and  the  divine  wisdom,"  he  says, 
"proceed  as  one  from  the  Lord."  * 

Swedenborg  teaches,  in  one  place,  that  the  trinity 
did  not  exist  until  after  the  incarnation  of  Christ. 
"  When  God  became  incarnate,  it  (the  trinity)  was 
provided  and  made."  But  speaking  in  another  place 
of  the  three  angels  who  appeared  to  Abraham,  as  he 
sat  in  his  tent  door,  he  says,  "It  was  the  Lox'd  our 
Saviour  who  appeared  in  his  divine  trinity,  repre- 
sented by  three  angels."  f  There  was  a  trinity, 
then,  in  the  days  of  Abraham. 

Swedenborg  says  in  one  place,  "I  have  spoken 
with  angels  concerning  infants,  whether  they  are 
pure  from  evils,  because  they  have  no  actual  evil, 
like  adults;  but  it  was  told  me  that  they  are  equally 
in  evil /  yea,  that  they  also  &ve  nothing  but  evil."  \ 
Yet  in  other  places  he  has  much  to  say  respecting 
the  innocence  of  infancy.  "That  infants  are  inno- 
cences  is  known ;  but  that  their  innocence  flows  in 
from  the  Lord  is  not  known."  They  are  so  innocent, 
that  their  innocence  "  flows  out  of  them  into  their 
parents."  And  this  is  the  reason  why  mothers  delight 
to  kiss  them,  and  "  rest  their  mouth  and  face  upon 
their  bosoms,"  and  "  stroke  their  naked  bodies  with 

*  Divine  Providence,  §  4. 

t  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  170.    Appendix,  §  49. 
X  Swedenborg  Library,  p.  89. 


COJTJTTGIAL  LOVE. 


149 


their  hands."  Infants  are  so  innocent,  that  the  very 
term,  "  in  the  word,  signifies  innocence ;"  and  the  an- 
gels in  the  highest  heaven  appear  there  as  naked  in- 
fants. *  Yet  the  angels  told  Swedenborg,  "that  in- 
fants are  equally  in  evil "  as  adults,  and  also  that  "  they 
are  nothing  but  evil" 

Swedenborg  very  properly  says,  in  one  place,  that 
the  love  of  self,  and  the  love  of  the  world,  rule  in 
the  hells,  and  make  the  hells ;  but  that  love  to  the 
Lord,  and  love  towards  the  neighbor,  rule  in  the 
heavens,  and  make  the  heavens."  f  But  we  find 
much  in  his  writings,  more  especially  in  regard  to 
conjugial  love,  which  seems  to  me  to  be  totally  irre- 
concilable with  this  statement.  Genuine  "  conjugial 
love,"  he  says,  "  is  an  image  of  heaven."  It  is  "  es- 
sential innocence,  which  dwells  with  wisdom  ;  "  and 
those  who  have  it,  "  are  in  wisdom  before  all  others 
in  heaven"  "They  are  in  the  inmost  heaven,  which 
is  called  the  heaven  of  innocence."  Again  ;  "conju- 
gial love  is  the  foundation  love  of  all  loves,  excel- 
ling the  rest  in  uses,  and  consequently  in  delights."  + 
The  angels  say,  that  it  '■'■exceeds  every  other  love  in 
sweetness  ;"  and  "because  it  is  pleasantness  itself,  it 
is  called  by  them  heavenly  sweetness."  The  follow- 
ing propositions  Swedenborg  lays  down  for  full  dis- 
cussion :  1.  Conjugial  love,  from  its  origin,  and  from 
its  correspondence,  is  heavenly,  spiritual,  holy,  pure, 

*  Conj.  Love,  §§  395,  3%.    Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  276—283. 

t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §  554. 

t  Arcana  Celestia,  §§  2735.  2736,  5053. 


150 


SWEDEXBORGIAN1SM  EXAMINED. 


and  clean,  before  every  love  ichich  is  from  the  Lord?' 
2.  "It  is  also  the  fundamental  love  of  all  heavenly^ 
spiritual,  and  thence  of  natural  loves."  3.  "Into  this 
love  are  gathered  all  joys  and  all  delights,  from  first 
to  last."  "All  the  enjoyments  of  heaven  stream 
forth  from  the  enjoyments  of  conjugial  love,  as  sweet 
waters  from  the  stream  of  a  fountain."  "  It  is  the 
love  of  loves,  and  its  delights  are  the  delights  of  de- 
lights?'' It  is  "  the  precious  pearl  of  human  life,  and 
the  repository  of  the  Christian  religion"  *  Such 
then  are  Swedenborg's  views  as  to  the  nature  of  re- 
ligion, of  holiness,  and  of  heavenly  joys.  Every 
thing  pertaining  to  religion  or  heaven  seems  to  cen- 
ter, and  to  be  garnered  up,  in  the  one  single  idea  of 
conjugial  love.  Before,  he  had  said  that  "love  to 
the  Lord,  and  love  towards  the  neighbor,  rule  in  the 
heavens,  and  make  the  heavens  ; "  as  "  the  love  of 
self,  and  the  love  of  the  world,  rule  in  the  hells,  and 
make  the  hells."  But  now  conjugial  love  is  the  very 
"  image  of  heaven,"  and  those  who  have  it  "  dwell 
in  the  inmost  heaven."  It  is  "  the  foundation  love 
of  all  loves,"  into  which  "  are  gathered  all  joys,  and 
all  delights,"  and  from  which  "  stream  forth  all  the 
enjoyments  of  heaven."  It  is  "  the  love  of  loves," 
the  "delight  of  delights,"  the  "  precious  pearl  of  hu- 
man life,"  "  the  repository  of  the  Christian  religion." 
Those  who  can  reconcile  these  views  of  religion,  of 
holiness,  of  heaven,  with  that  before  given,  or  with 
that  presented  in  the  word  of  God,  are  welcome  to  do 
♦  Ccnj.  Love,  §§  55.  64—68,  229,  367,  457. 


OX  THE  REFORMED  CHURCHES. 


151 


it.  To  me,  the  task  would  be  utterly  impracticable. 
In  a  previous  chapter  (chap,  vi.)  I  exhibited  the 
manner  in  which  Swedenborg  was  accustomed  to 
speak  of  the  Reformed  churches.  He  represents 
them  as  utterly  perverted  and  vastated,  so  that  not 
anything  true  or  holy  remains  in  them.  They  are 
the  great  red  dragon,  and  the  two  beasts  of  the  Apo- 
calypse. They  are  that  city  which  is  spiritually 
called  Sodom  and  Egypt.  They  are  the  goats  on  the 
left  hand  of  the  Judge  in  the  day  of  judgment.  They 
are  not  only  the  locusts  of  the  bottomless  pit,  but 
the  pit  itself.  But  when  Swedenborg  comes  to  an- 
swer the  objection,  that  "possibly  some  may  entertain 
doubts  as  to  the  wisdom  of  providence,  in  permitting 
such  a  church  to  exist,  and  to  remain  for  so  long  a 
period,"  he  takes  back  no  small  part  of  his  vitupera- 
tion and  slander,  and  represents  the  Athanasian  creed 
and  the  Reformed  churches  as  in  a  very  tolerable 
state  of  purity.  "  In  all  these  churches,"  he  says,  "  it 
is  taught  that  there  is  no  salvation,  except  a  man 
examine  himself,  see  his  sins,  acknowledge  them,  re- 
pent, desist  from  them,  and  enter  upon  a  new  course 
of  life."  "  Hence  it  is  evident  that  every  one  in  these 
churches  is  taught  that  he  must  observe  the  deca- 
logue, and  that  evils  are  to  be  shunned  as  sins."  * 
The  same  Swedenborg,  it  will  be  kept  in  mind,  says 
all  this,  who  had  before  represented  these  Reformed 
churches  as  in  a  state  of  utter  perversion  and  cor- 
ruption, fit  only  to  go  away  accursed  into  everlast- 
ing fire. 


152 


SWEDENBORG]  AX1S3I  EXAMINED. 


Swedenborg  taught  that  the  other  world  is  a  mere 
state  of  being,  and  not  a  place.  "The  angels,"  he 
says,  "  have  no  notion  or  idea  of  place  and  of  space." 
So  Mr.  Bush  says,  that  at  death,  "  the  spirit  is  ushered 
into  a  world  to  which  time  and  space  do  not  belong. 
Heaven  and  hell  are  not  places,  but  states.  It  can- 
not be  said  of  the  spiritual  world,  that  it  is  above  or 
below,  here  or  there ;  but  it  is  in  man  himself.  Every 
one  has  actually  in  himself  his  heaven,  or  his  hell."* 
Yet  Swedenborg  is  far  from  being  consistent  in  all 
his  representations  as  to  this  matter.  He  speaks  of 
the  other  world  as  being  an  exact  conterpart  to  this. 
It  has  its  earth,  air  and  water ;  its  mountains,  groves 
and  plains,  its  food  and  clothing;  its  houses,  cities, 
palaces  ;  its  animals  and  vegetables.  He  speaks  in 
one  place  of  the  vast  extent  of  heaven.  "It  was 
given  me  to  see  the  extent  of  the  heaven  which  is 
inhabited,  and  likewise  of  what  is  not  inhabited ;  and 
I  saw  that  the  extent  of  heaven  not  inhabited  was 
so  great  as  to  be  incapable  of  being  filled  to  eternity." 
Indeed,  he  speaks  expressly  and  repeatedly  of  the 
spiritual  world  as  a  place.  "  The  world  of  spirits  is 
a  middle  place  between  heaven  and  hell ;  and  like- 
wise it  is  a  middle  state  of  man  after  death.  That 
it  is  a  middle  place  was  made  evident  to  me  from 
this  circumstance,  that  the  hells  are  beneath,  and  the 
heavens  above ;  and  that  it  is  a  middle  state  from 
this  circumstance,  that  man,  so  long  as  he  is  there, 
is  not  yet  in  heaven,  neither  is  he  in  hell. "  *  Swe- 
♦  Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  419,  422, 


SPIRITUAL  WORLD. 


153 


denborg  here  distinguishes  between  state  and  place, 
and  affirms  that  the  spiritual  world  is  both  the  one 
and  the  other;  —  in  direct  contradiction  to  his  fre- 
quent assertions,  that  it  is  a  mere  state,  and  not  a 
place.  * 

Swedenborg  taught,  on  some  occasions,  that  there 
is  no  deception  or  hypocrisy  in  the  other  world,  but 
each  one  is  obliged  to  appear  in  his  true  character. 
"  In  the  other  life,"  he  says,  "  no  one  is  allowed  to  as- 
sume a  semblance  of  affections  which  are  not  prop- 
erly his  own,  but  all,  of  every  description,  are  there 
reduced  to  such  a  state  as  to  speak  as  they  think, 
and  to  express  the  inclinations  of  the  will  by  the 
countenance  and  gestures  ;  hence,  therefore,  it  is  that 
the  faces  of  all  are  the  faces  and  effigies  of  their  af- 
fections." f  But  on  other  occasions,  he  taught  quite 
a  different  doctrine.  He  has  much  to  say  of  the 
tricks  and  deceits  which  are  practised,  not  only  in 
the  spiritual  world,  but  in  the  hells.  Indeed,  some 
of  the  hells  are  called  "  the  hells  of  the  deceitful."  I 
I  present  the  following  as  fair  specimens  of  his  teach- 
ing on  his  subject.  Speaking  of  certain  Romish 
hypocrites  in  the  spiritual  world,  he  says :  "  By 
means  of  a  holy  external,  they  have  communication 
with  some  of  the  societies  of  the  lowest  heaven  ;  and 
by  means  of  a  profane  internal,  with  the  hells ;  so 

*  Mr.  Noble  says  that  "  hell  is  a.  place  and  state  of  misery." 
Appeal,  pp.  360. 
t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  457,  535. 
t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  457,  535. 


154  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


that  they  may  be  said  to  be  in  both.  For  which  rea- 
son also  they  entice  simple  good  spirits,  allotting  them 
habitations  near  themselves,"  upon  whom  "  they  at- 
tempt the  most  wicked  designs  ;  for  the  simple  good 
spirits,  who  are  in  the  lowest  part  of  heaven,  look 
no  farther  than  to  their  holy  externals."  Speaking 
in  another  place  of  hypocritical  Protestants  in  the 
other  world,  he  says,  "  It  was  permitted  them  to  form 
societies,  and  live  together  as  in  the  world,  and  there, 
by  arts  unknown  in  the  world,  to  make  splendid  rep- 
resentations, and  thereby  persuade  themselves  and 
others  that  they  were  in  heaven"  They  built  for 
themselves  certain  mock  heavens  in  the  spiritual 
world,  and  called  them  heavens,  and  drew  others  in- 
to them  as  into  heaven.  These  heavens,  he  says,  are 
"  the  former  heaven  and  former  earth,  which  passed 
away  in  the  last  judgment."  *    Rev.  xxi.  1. 

It  was  a  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  that  "  the  Lord 
casts  no  one  down  to  hell,  but  the  spirit  casts  him- 
self down."  f  This  proposition  he  discusses  through 
several  pages.  But  he  directly  contradicts  it,  in 
many  places  in  his  works.  "  Those  who  have  filled 
their  wickedness  with  deceit,"  he  says,  "  and  have 
used  goodness  as  a  means  of  deceiving,  are  cast  im- 
mediately into  hell.  I  have  seen  some  of  this  char- 
acter cast  into  hell  instantly  after  death ;  one  of  the 
most  deceitful  with  his  head  downwards,  and  his 
feet  upwards,  and  others  in  other  ways."    In  the 

*  Last  Judgment,  §  104.    Continuation,  §  18. 
t  Heaven  and  Hell,  §  545,  &c. 


SELF  CONTRADICTIONS. 


155 


process  of  the  last  judgment,  Swedenborg  saw  some 
of  the  Babylonians  (Romanists)  cast  into  black  seas, 
and  others  into  horrible  gulfs,  and  one  was  cast  head- 
long into  hell.  When  the  Hollanders  were  judged, 
he  saw  some  of  them  "  cast  into  a  fiery  gulf,"  and 
others  "  into  a  dark  cavern,"  which  are  only  differ- 
ent descriptions  of  hell.  * 

Swedenborg  taught  that  sinners  in  hell  "  are  pun- 
ished only  as  it  becomes  necessary  to  prevent  their 
molesting  and  tormenting  each  others  "  They  are 
permitted  to  live  as  they  like,  and  to  enjoy  the  de- 
lights they  desire,  with  no  other  qualification,  no 
other  restraint,  than  is  necessary  to  prevent  their 
making  each  other  miserable,  f  But  this  idea  is  con- 
tradicted in  a  great  many  passages.  Some  in  the 
hells  are  represented  as  bruising  their  fellow  sinners 
in  a  mortar,  with  a  pestle ;  others  as  grinding  them 
up  in  a  mill ;  and  others  as  inflicting  ivpon  those 
around  them  every  species  of  torture  of  which  they 
are  capable.  \ 

It  is  a  doctrine  of  Swedenborg,  that  there  are  no 
radical  changes  of  character,  one  way  or  the  other, 
after  death.  "  It  remains  then  such  as  it  had  been ; 
nor  can  the  life  of  hell  be  inscribed  into  the  life  of 
heaven,  since  they  are  opposite.  Hence  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  they  who  come  into  hell  remain  there  to 
eternity  /  and  that  they  who  come  into  heaven  re- 

*  Last  Judgment,  §  61.    Continuation,  §  53. 

t  Parson's  Essays,  p.  '207. 

t  Arcana  Celestia,  §§  822,  824,  5057. 


156  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


main  there  to  eternity."  *  But  this  plain  and  scrip- 
tural statement  is  directly  contradicted  in  other  parts 
of  Swedenborg's  writings.  "  It  would  be  unreason- 
able," says  he,  "  to  suppose  that  the  Lord  would  per- 
mit any  one  to  be  punished  in  hell,  much  less  to 
eternity,  for  the  sins  of  a  short  life ;  especially,  as 
each  one  considered  his  principles  to  be  true,  and 
was  thus  fixed  in  his  persuasion.  It  is  not  to  be 
thought,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  would  suffer  any 
one  to  be  punished,  much  less  without  intermission 
forever,  except  with  a  view  to  his  reformation;  as 
whatever  is  from  the  Lord  is  good,  and  for  a  good 
end ;  but  eternal  punishment  could  have  no  such 
end."  f 

It  is  unnecessary  to  pursue  the  inconsistencies  of 
Swedenborg  further.  They  are  exceedingly  numer- 
ous, and  some  of  them  most  palpable.  It  is  a  suffi- 
cient objection  to  his  doctrines  and  claims,  that  he  is 
on  so  many  points  inconsistent  with  himself. 

*  Arcana  Celestia,  §§  10,  749. 
t  Spiritual  Diary,  §  3489. 


CHAPTER  X. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  THE  DOCTRINES  OF 
SWEDENBOKG,  CONTINUED. 

Objection  11. 

I  object  further  to  the  system  of  Swedenborg, 
that  it  represents  the  way  to  heaven  as  comparative- 
ly easy,  and  tends  to  depress,  if  not  to  subvert,  the 
proper  standard  of  Christian  piety.  We  might  in- 
fer as  much  as  this  from  the  fact,  that  it  dispenses 
altogether  with  the  appropriate  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  leaving  this  to  be  performed  (if  performed  at 
all)  by  the  ministry  of  angels.  The  Holy  Spirit, 
and  he  alone,  is  the  sanctifier  of  men.  It  is  he  who 
translates  them  from  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  and 
transforms  them  into  the  divine  image.  It  is  he 
who  commences  the  work  of  sanctification  in  their 
souls,  and  carries  it  on  to  the  day  of  complete  re- 
demption. I  would  by  no  means  undervalue  the 
benevolent  ministry  of  holy  angels.    It  is  a  delight- 


158 


SWEDE  N  Uo  il(  j  I  AN  IS  M  EXAMINED. 


ful  thought  to  the  Christian,  that  their  guardian  care 
and  protection  are  round  about  him,  —  that  they  are 
"  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  to  them 
who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."  But  they  can  never 
perform  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  make 
no  pretensions  to  it,  and  no  approximation  towards 
it.  And  a  system  of  religion  which  dispenses  with 
the  appropriate  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  de- 
volves it  on  created  spirits,  must  necessarily  be  want- 
ing in  spirituality. 

In  his  work  on  Heaven  and  Hell,  Swedenborghas 
a  chapter  under  the  following  caption  :  "  It  is  not  so 
difficult  as  it  is  supposed,  to  live  a  life  which  leads  to 
heaven."  *  In  discussing  this  proposition,  he  goes 
on  to  say:  "Some  people  believe  that  a  spiritual 
life  is  difficult,  since  they  have  been  told  that  a  man 
must  renounce  the  world,  and  deprive  himself  of  the 
concupiscences  of  the  body,  and  the  flesh ;  which 
things  they  conceive  as  implying  that  they  must  re- 
ject worldly  things,  which  consist  chiefly  in  riches 
and  honors ;  that  they  must  walk  continually  in 
pious  meditation  about  God,  salvation,  and  eternal 
life ;  and  that  they  must  spend  their  days  in  prayer, 
and  in  reading  the  word  and  other  pious  books. 
This  they  call  renouncing  the  world,  and  living  in 
the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  flesh.  But  that  the  case  is 
altogether  otherwise  has  been  given  me  to  know, 

*  Sect.  528.  Mr.  Noble  says,  "  The  Scriptures  never  represent 
the  life  that  leads  to  heaven  as  a  thing  of  great  difficulty."  Ap- 
peal, p.  4'J4. 


DIVERSIONS  UF  CHARITY'. 


159 


from  much  experience,  and  from  conversation  with 
the  angels.  Indeed,  they  who  renounce  the  world, 
and  live  in  the  Spirit,  in  the  manner  above  describ- 
ed, procure  to  themselves  a  sorrowful  life,  which  is 
not  receptible  of  heavenly  joy ;  for  every  one's  life 
remains  with  him  after  death.  But  that  man  may 
receive  the  life  of  heaven  it  is  altogether  necessary 
that  he  live  in  the  icorld,  and  in  office  and  employment 
there ;  that  in  such  case,  by  moral  and  civil  life,  he 
may  receive  spiritual/  because  spiritual  life  can  not 
otherwise  be  formed  without  JdmP  From  this  ex- 
tract my  readers  will  see  what  kind  of  Christian  life 
Swedenborg  abjures,  and  what  he  recommends. 
With  him,  a  life  of  pious  reading,  meditation,  and 
devotion,  so  far  from  contributing  to  genuine  spirit- 
uality, is  inconsistent  with  it.  A  life  so  conducted 
is  "not  receptible  of  heavenly  joy."  But  men  must 
"  live  in  the  world,"  and  not  renounce  it,  and  enjoy 
"  the  concupiscences  of  the  body  and  the  flesh." 

In  his  work  on  Charity,  Swedenborg  treats,  at  some 
length,  of  the  "  Diversions  of  Charity."  After  men- 
tioning several  kinds  of  diversions,  "  the  delights  and 
pleasures  of  the  bodily  senses,"  he  adds :  "  Besides 
these,  there  are  convivialities,  feasts,  entertainments, 
and  all  kinds  of  merry-makings,  games  which  are 
played  at  home  with  dice,  billiards  and  cards ;  and 
dances  at  wedding  parties,  and  at  festive  meetings."* 
Not  only  are  these  things  not  inconsistent  with  the 
discipline  of  the  Xew  Church,  they  are  recommended 

*  §  117. 


160 


SWEDEN  BOKGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


to  be  observed.  They  are  recommended  on  the 
highest  authority,  even  that  of  an  inspired  and  heaven 
taught  teacher.  Indeed,  Swedenborg  represents 
them,  or  some  of  them,  as  practised  in  heaven.  In 
one  of  his  relations,  he  speaks  of  ten  men  who  ware 
invited  into  one  of  the  heavens,  that  they  might  learn 
the  nature  of  heavenly  joys.  And  here  they  were 
told  of  the  festivities  of  the  place ;  such  as  musical 
concerts,  games,  shows,  and  dramatic  entertainments. 
In  one  part,  were  exhibited  the  "  various  sports  of 
young  men  and  boys,  such  as  running,  hand-ball, 
rackets,  &c."  *  Ennobling  employment  this  for  young 
men  and  boys  in  the  other  world!  What  truant 
would  not  be  in  earnest  to  get  to  such  a  heaven ! 

Wishing  to  satisfy  myself  as  to  the  practical  work- 
ings of  this  kind  of  religion,  I  have  made  inquiries  in 
several  places  where  the  New  Church  has  been  longest 
established,  as  to  the  spiritual  character  of  its  mem- 
bers. "  Are  they,  or  are  they  not,  conformed  to  the 
•  world  ?  Do  they,  or  do  they  not,  furnish  evidence 
of  being  a  humble,  devoted,  sanctified  people,  having 
their  affections  on  things  above,  and  their  conversa- 
tion in  heaven  ? "  These  inquiries  were  made,  I 
trust,  in  a  proper  spirit,  and  answers  were  returned, 
so  far  as  I  could  judge,  charitably.  They  were  in 
substance  as  follows  :  "  Our  Xew  Church  folks  exhi- 
bit, perhaps,  a  fair  proportion  of  general  morality  and 
amiableness  of  dejjortment,  and  seem  rather  to  pride 
themselves  on  these  things ;  but  of  a  contrite,  watch- 

*  Conj.  Love,  §  17. 


DIVERSIONS. 


161 


fill,  prayerful  spirit  —  a  spirit  of  self-denial,  of  dead- 
ness  to  the  world,  of  serious  and  holy  devotion  to 
things  unseen  and  eternal,  there  are  few,  if  any,  of 
what  are  considered  as  the  natural  indications.  We 
cannot,  indeed,  look  into  their  hearts,  and  ought  not 
to  judge  them,  but  may  safely  say  as  much  as 
this."  With  regard  to  the  question  of  conformity  to 
the  world,  one  of  my  correspondents  writes:  "The 
Swedenborgians  have  held,  in  this  place,  the  past 
winter  (i.  e.  chiefly  among  themselves)  weekly  or 
semi-weekly  private  dancing  parties  ;  and  once  in  a 
fortnight  %  public  dancing  party  in  one  of  our  public 
halls,  to  which  others,  particularly  young  persons, 
have  been  invited.  This  seems  to  be  a  kind  of  church- 
meeting  ;  and  it  occurs  on  the  same  evening,  and  at 
the  same  hour,  in  which  evangelical  Christians  are 
coming  together  for  their  stated  prayer-meeting.  It 
is  understood  that  these  people  play  at  cards,  and 
other  games,  and  encourage  them  on  social  occasions 
generally.  The  minister  and  church  members  dance 
often  at  parties  of  a  promiscuous  character,  and  have 
remained,  in  some  instances,  to  a  late  hour  of  the 
night." — Verily,  in  some  of  Swedenborg's  '■'■Diver- 
sions of  Charity,"  his  followers  in  this  place  seem  to 
abound.  We  hope  they  are  as  abundant  in  their 
deeds  of  charity. 

On  receiving  this  communication,  I  was  at  first 
surprised.    It  was  what  I  did  not  expect.    But  why 
should  it  not  be  expected  ?    The  new  church-men 
referred  to  are  only  following  out  (though  possibly 
11 


162  SWEDEXBORGIAJXISM  EXAMINED. 

to  some  little  excess)  the  recommendations  of  their 
great  teacher.  And  then  these  card  parties,  and 
dancing  parties,  to  which  others  are  invited,  afford  a 
fine  opportunity  for  drawing  in  the  young,  the  gay, 
the  thoughtless,  the  unwary  —  "  lovers  of  pleasure 
more  than  lovers  of  God  "  —  and  impressing  them 
favorably  as  to  the  character  and  principles,  the  meas- 
ures and  members  of  the  Xew  Church.  Yes,  read- 
er, this  is  the  New  Church  !  the  institution  of  which 
is  represented  as  the  introduction  of  a  new  dispensa- 
tion, —  as  much  superior  to  th&  Christian,  as  that  was 
to  the  Jewish!  The  New  Church!  declared  to  be 
"  the  crown  of  all  churches !  "  The  "  new  Jerusalem, 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,"  which  is  to 
stand  forever! 

Objection  12. 

In  following  out  my  objections  to  the  doctrines  of 
Swedenborg,  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  say,  that 
some  of  them  are  of  decidedly  an  immoral  charac- 
ter and  tendency.  I  refer  particularly  to  those  which 
relate  to  polygamy,  concubinage,  and  scortation  or 
fornication.  Swedenborg 'taught  that  "polygamy 
is  not  sin  with  those  whose  religion  sanctions  or  per- 
mits it ; "  neither  "  with  those  who  are  in  ignorance 
concerning  the  Lord."  Consequently,  he  goes  on  to 
say,  it  was  no  sin  among  the  Israelites  of  old  ;  nor  is 
it  sin  among  the  Mohammedans  and  heathens  of  the 
present  day.  For  the  Mohammedans,  he  says,  there 
are  two  heavens,  "the  lower  and  the  higher."  In 


ON  POLYGAMY. 


163 


the  lower  heaven,  '•'•they  live  icith  many  wives  and 
concubines,  as  in  the  xcorld  /  but  those  who  renounce 
concubines,  and  live  with  one  wife,  are  elevated  into 
the  higher  heaven."  Swedenborg  visited  the  poly- 
gamists  in  their  heaven,  sat  down  with  one  of  them 
in  the  vestibule  of  his  harem,  and  entered  into  conver- 
sation with  him  respecting  marriages.  "  We  do  not 
live  with  one  wife,"  said  the  celestial,  "  but  some 
with  two,  and  three,  and  some  with  more  ;  because 
variety,  obedience,  and  honor,  delight  us  ;  and  these 
Ave  have  from  our  wives,  if  they  are  many.  With 
one  wife,  there  would  be  no  pleasure  from  variety, 
but  disgust  and  sameness  ;  nor  would  there  be  flat- 
tering courteousness  from  obedience,  but  disquietude 
from  equality  ;  nor  would  there  be  satisfaction  and 
honor  from  dominion,  but  vexatious  disputes  con- 
cerning superiority.  And  what  is  a  woman?  Is  she 
not  bora  subject  to  the  will  of  man,  —  to  serve  and 
not  to  ride  ?  Wherefore  here,  every  husband  in  his 
own  house,  has,  as  it  were,  royal  majesty.  And  be- 
cause this  is  our  love,  it  is  also  the  blessedness  of  our 
life?  Swedenborg  expostulated  with  the  angel;  (for 
the  man  here  speaking,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  an 
inhabitant  of  heaven)  but  he  could  make  no  impres- 
sion. "  What  else  makes  a  man  blessed,"  he  rejoined, 
but  the  emulation  of  wives,  contending  for  the  honor 
of  the  husband's  highest  favor  ?"  *  Strange  source 
indeed  of  blessedness  in  heaven  !! 

Swedenborg  taught,  "  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  a 
*  Conj.  Love,  §§  343,  348,  349,  78. 


164 


SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


Christian  to  marry  but  one  wife."  *  Nor  may  a 
Christian  be  formally,  legally  divorced  from  his  wife, 
except  for  a  single  cause  —  that  assigned  by  our  Sa- 
viour in  Mat.  xix.  9.  f  But  there  are  many  causes  he 
says  —  causes  "  legitimate,  jzist,  real,  and  sufficient," 
for  taking  a  concubine  into  the  wife's  bed,  provided 
the  wife  is  not  cohabited  with  at  the  same  time. 

Concerning  concubinage  in  general,  Swedeuborg 
lays  down  twelve  distinct  propositions,  which  he  dis- 
cusses through  some  eight  or  ten  pages.  The  follow- 
ing are  two  of  them:  "That  concubinage, conjointly 
with  a  wife,  is  altogether  unlawful  to  Christians. 
That  concubinage  apart  from  the  wife,  when  it  is 
engaged  in  from  legitimate,  just,  and  truly  sufficient 
causes,  is  not  unlawful."  The  sufficient  causes  of 
separation  and  concubinage,  he  said,  are  two-fold ; 
those  relating,  first,  to  the  mind,  and  secondly,  to 
the  body.  Among  the  mental  infirmities  which  are 
sufficient  to  justify  the  taking  of  a  concubine,  he 
mentions  the  following  :  "  Mania,  frenzy,  raving,  ac- 
tual foolishness  and  idiocy,  loss  of  memory,  severe 
hysteric  disease,  extreme  simplicity  so  that  there  is 
no  perception  of  good  and  truth  ;  the  highest  stub- 
bornness in  not  obeying  what  is  just  and  equal ;  the 
highest  pleasure  in  prating  and  talking  upon  nothing 
but  insignificant  things  and  trifles  ;  unbridled  eager- 
ness for  publishing  the  secrets  of  the  house ;  also 
for  wrangling,  striking,  revenging,  doing  mischief, 


*  Conj.  Love,  §  338. 
T  Conj.  Love,  §  408. 


CONCUBINAGE. 


165 


stealing,  lying,  cheating,  blaspheming  ;  neglect  of  in- 
fants, excess,  luxury,  too  great  prodigality,  drunken- 
ness, uncleanness,  impurity,  application  to  magic  and 
tricks  of  deception,  impiety,  internal  dissimilitude, 
and  other  like  things.  That  these  are  just  causes  of 
concubinage,  because  they  are  just  causes  of  separa- 
tion," he  says,  "  reason  sees  without  a  judge." 

Among  the  bodily  infirmities  which  justify  concu- 
binage, the  following  are  distinctly  mentioned ; 
"  Malignant  and.  pestilential  fevers,  leprosies,  vene- 
real diseases,  gangrenes,  cancers,  warts,  pustules,  scor- 
butic phthisic,  virulent  scab,  especially  if  the  face  is 
defiled  with  it ;  foul,  rank,  crude  eructations  from  the 
stomach ;  corrupt  and  putrid  breath  exhaled  from 
imposthumes,  ulcers,  abscesses,  from  vitiated  blood, 
or  from  vitiated  lymph ;  lipothamia,  which  is  a  total 
languidness  of  body  and  defect  of  strength ;  palsy, 
which  is  a  loosening  of  the  membranes  and  ligaments 
subservient  to  motion ;  certain  chronic  diseases,  aris- 
ing from  the  loss  of  the  tensibility  and  elasticity  of 
the  nerves,  or  from  too  great  spissitude,  tenacity  and 
acrimony  of  the  humors ;  permanent  infirmity  from 
apoplexies ;  consumptions,  by  which  the  body  is  de- 
stroyed ;  the  iliac  passion,  the  cceliac  affection,  her- 
nia, epilepsy,  and  other  like  diseases."  * 

Here  are  some  fifty  causes  or  reasons  for  separa- 
tion and  concubinage,  distinctly  assigned,  either  of 
which  Swedenborg  says  is  just  and  sufficient.  He 
speaks  of  more  like  causes  ;  but  how  many  more  we 
*  Conj.  Love,  §§  462,  252,  253,  470. 


166 


SWEDEXB0RGIANIS1I  EXAMINED. 


are  not  informed.  The  husband,  too,  is  to  decide  for 
himself,  whether  any  of  these  causes  actually  exist. 
"  That  these  are  just  causes  of  separation  and  con- 
cubinage, reason  sees  without  a  judge  /"  i.  e.,  with- 
out their  being  submitted  to  any  legal  tribunal  for 
adjudication.  They  are  to  be  "adjudged  by  the  man 
alone  ;  "  or,  as  the  translator  explains  it,  "  they  are 
to  be  decided  by  the  man  himself,  according  to  true 
princijdes." 

On  the  foregoing  statement,  I  have  no  disposition 
to  remark.  It  speaks  for  itself.  I  only  add,  that  it 
has  been  fairly  and  faithfully  extracted  from  the  ac- 
knowledged works  of  Swedenborg,  and  is  not  con- 
tradicted in  any  other  of  his  writings.  I  leave  it  to 
the  consideration  of  my  readers. 

As  to  the  other  subject  referred  to,  viz.,  fornica- 
tion, Swedenborg  lays  down  the  following  principles: 
1.  ""With  some,  the  love  of  the  sex  can  not,  without 
damage,  be  totally  restrained  from  going  forth  into 
fornication.  It  is  vain,"  he  adds,  under  this  head, 
"  to  recount  the  damages  which  too  great  a  restraint 
may  cause  and  operate,  with  those  who  labor  under 
venereal  excitement.  From  this  source  are  the  ori- 
gins of  certain  diseases  of  the  body,  and  disorders  of 
the  mind."  2.  "  Fornication  is  light,  so  far  as  it 
looks  to  conjugial  love,  and  prefers  it."  3.  "  The 
lust  of  fornicating  is  grievous,  so  far  as  it  looks  to 
adultery."  4.  "  Care  is  to  be  taken,  lest  conjugial 
love,  by  immoderate  and  inordinate  fornications, 
should  be  destroyed."    5.  "  Conjugial  love  —  with 


CONCUBINAGE. 


167 


those  who  for  various  causes  can  not  as  yet  enter  into 
marriage,  and  can  not  govern  their  lusts  —  may  be 
preserved,  if  the  love  of  the  sex  be  restricted  to  one 
mistress?  This  last  proposition  is  thus  explained 
and  discussed :  "  That  by  those  who  are  salacious, 
immoderate  and  inordinate  lust  can  not  be  restrained, 
reason  sees  and  experience  teaches.  In  order  there- 
fore, that  this  immoderateness  and  inordinateness  — 
with  those  who  labor  under  venereal  excitement,  and 
can  not,  for  many  causes,  precipitate  marriage  —  may 
be  curbed,  and  reduced  to  something  moderate  and 
ordinate,  there  appears  no  other  refuge  and  as  it 
were  asylum,  than  the  keeping  of  a  mistress."  Swe- 
denborg  goes  on  to  assign  no  less  than  six  reasons 
why,  under  the  circumstances  specified,  a  mistress 
should  he  kept.  "  By  this  means,  promiscuous  forni- 
cations are  curbed  and  limited;"  "the  ardor  of 
venery  is  allayed  and  mitigated;"  "adulteries  are 
guarded  against,"  &c.  * 

These  statements,  like  those  before  given,  need  no 
comment.  My  readers  will  perceive,  at  once,  what 
utter  havoc  is  here  made  of  the  plain  precepts  of  the 
Bible,  and  the  acknowledged  principles  of  Christian 
morality.  God  says,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tery." But  Swedenborg  assigns  some  fifty  causes, 
and  says  there  are  more,  which  will  justify  a  man  in 
separating  from  his  wife  and  keeping  a  concubine,  or, 

*  Conj.  and  Scort.  Love,  §§  450 — 460.  Swedenborg  was  never 
married,  but  he  confesses  that  at  one  period  of  his  life  he  kept  a 
mistress.    See  Wilkinson's  Life  of  Swedenborg,  p.  233. 


168  8WEDENBORG1AXJSM  EXAMINED. 


which  is  the  same,  in  committing  adultery.  The 
Bible  says,  "  Flee  fornication."  "  This  is  the  will  of 
God  that  ye  should  abstain  from  fornication."  "Let 
it  not  be  once  named  among  you."  *  But  Sweden- 
borg  states  circumstances,  in  which  fornication  is  not 
only  permitted,  but  recommended  and  enforced, — 
more  especially  uj>on  young  men.  There  is  no  re- 
counting the  damage  which  they  will  sustain,  if  they 
do  not  resort  to  it.  And  he  leaves  every  young  man 
to  judge  whether  these  circumstances  do,  or  do  not, 
exist  in  his  own  case.  I  say  he  leaves  the  young 
man  to  judge  ;  for  in  this  whole  matter,  he  seems  to 
regard  the  woman,  temporally  and  eternally,  as  exist- 
ing only  for  the  convenience  of  the  man.  t  And  yet 
I  know  of  fine  ladies,  who  read  and  profess  to  ad- 
mire the  works  of  Swedenborg!  And  I  once  heard 
a  learned  and  venerable  Swedenborgian  say,  when 
inquired  of  as  to  what  he  thought  of  the  work  on 
"  Conjugial  and  Scortatory  Love,"  "I  think,  Sir,  that 
no  man  could  have  written  that  book,  who  had  not 
been  in  heaven  "  ! ! 

*  Cor.  vi,  18.    Eph.  v.  3.    1  Thess.  iv.  3. 

t  It  appears  that  some  of  the  original  members  of  the  New 
Church  in  London  received  these  doctrines  of  Swedenborg  in  their 
literal  and  proper  sense,  and  acted  upon  them,  to  the  shame  of 
those  bodies  which  ought  to  be  temples  of  the  Holy  Spirit  !  See 
New  Church  Repository,  Vol.  6.,  p.  145. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  THE  DOCTRINES  OF 
SWEDENBORG,  CONTINUED. 

Objection  13. 

My  next  objection  to  the  claims  of  Swedenborg, 
is  drawn  from  his  representations  of  heaven  and  hell, 
and  in  general  of  the  invisible  world.  Much  that 
might,  with  propriety,  be  presented  here  has  been 
anticipated  ;  still  something  more  requires  to  be  said. 
And  after  all,  it  will  be  impossible  to  exhibit  the  sub- 
ject fully  or  adequately.  Those  who  have  a  curios- 
ity to  learn  all  that  Swedenborg  says  about  heaven 
and  hell,  and  the  invisible  world,  must  read  his 
works. 

As  before  remarked,  he  represents  every  inhabi- 
tant of  heaven  as  once  a  man  on  the  earth,  and  as 
still  retaining  the  human  form.  The  heavens  are  di- 
vided into  innumerable  societies,  consisting  of  con- 
genial spirits ;  and  each  of  these  societies  is  in  the 


170  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


human  form  ;  some  of  the  members  of  a  particular 
society  going  to  constitute  the  head,  others  the  neck 
and  breast,  others  the  loins,  others  the  arms,  legs, 
feet,  &c. 

And  not  only  is  each  of  the  innumerable  societies 
of  heaven  in  the  human  form,  they  collectively  con- 
stitute a  society  in  the  human  form.  Hence,  Swe- 
denborg  commonly  speaks  of  the  universal  heavens 
as  the  Grand  Man.  And  he  goes  on,  page  after 
page,  to  the  extent  of  a  volume,  pointing  out  the 
correspondences  between  all  the  human  organs  and 
members,  and  the  Grand  Man,  and  showing  what 
sorts  of  Christians,  or  rather  of  people,  go  to  consti- 
tute his  different  parts.  "  They  who  appear  above 
the  head  of  the  Grand  Man,  and  near  to  it,  are  those 
who  teach,  and  also  suffer  themselves  easily  to  be 
taught ;  they  who  are  beneath  the  occiput  are  those 
who  act  tacitly  and  prudently ;  they  who  are  at  the 
thorax  or  breast,  are  those  who  are  in  charity ;  they 
who  are  at  the  feet,  are  those  who  are  natural;  and 
they  who  are  at  the  soles  of  the  feet  are  the  grosser  of 
that  class.  They  who  are  at  the  nostrils,  are  those 
who  excel  in  percejJtion ;  they  who  are  at  the  ears, 
are  those  who  obey ;  they  who  are  at  the  eyes,  are 
those  who  are  intelligent,  wise,"  &o. 

Swedenborg  taught  that  in  heaven,  or  in  the 
Grand  Man,  "there  is  a  pulse,  like  that  of  the  heart; 
and  a  respiration,  like  that  of  the  lungs,  but  more 
interior.  The  pulse  of  the  heart  is  various,  accord- 
ing to  the  states  of  love ;  and  the  respiration,  ac- 


THE   GRAND  MAN. 


171 


cording  to  the  states  of  charity  and  faith."  The 
Grand  Man  is  nourished  and  increased,  by  the  con- 
tinual flow  of  people  from  this  world  into  the  world 
of  spirits,  and  thence  to  heaven,  or  to  hell.  Those 
persons  "  with  whom  evils  have  obtained  the  pre- 
dominion,  after  that  they  have  been  vexed  in  the 
stomach  of  the  Grand  Man,  to  no  purpose,  are  con- 
veyed through  the  stomach  into  the  intestines,  and 
are  thence  voided  forth  into  the  draught,  i.  e.  into 
hell.  But  they  with  whom  goods  have  had  the  pre- 
dominion,  after  some  vexations  and  purifications,  be- 
come chyle,  and  pass  off  into  the  blood,"  and  so  into 
the  body.* 

I  have  presented  this  sketch  of  "  the  Grand  Man," 
because  Swedenborg  dwells  much  upon  it,  represent- 
ing it  as  "  a  great  arcanum,"  and  attaching  to  it  a 
vast  importance.  To  my  own  apprehension,  the 
whole  account  is  supremely  ridiculous ;  being  desti- 
tute alike  of  sense  and  decency,  and  worthy  only  of 
contempt.  Nor  do  I  see  how  the  latter  part  of  it  is 
to  be  interpreted,  according  to  the  science  of  corres- 
pondences. If  there  is  any  correspondence  here, 
then  the  wicked  must  go  through  the  whole  midst 
of  heaven  in  order  to  get  into  hell,  as  refuse  food 
passes  through  the  whole  intestinal  canal,  before  it 
is  voided  into  the  draught.  Nor  is  this  the  worst  of 
it.  Swedenborg  probably  did  not  know  that  the 
contents  of  the  intestinal  canal  are  made  up  but  in 


*  Arcana  Celestia,  §§  3881—3889,  5174. 


172 


S  WJSUENBORGl  AN  IS ir  EXAMINED. 


part  of  the  refuse  of  the  stomach.  With  them  is 
also  mingled  the  refuse  of  the  whole  system,  which 
the  ahsorbents  are  continually  taking  up  and  passing 
off  in  the  natural  way.  To  carry  out  the  corres- 
pondence, therefore,  we  must  suppose  that  hell  is 
continually  supplied  froni  heaven.  When  spirits 
have  been  a  sufficient  time  in  heaven,  or  the  Grand 
Man,  the  absorbents  take  them  up,  and  cast  them 
out ;  and  their  places  are  supplied  by  others  which 
are  crowding  in  from  the  world.  Yet  Swedenborg 
would  hardly  allow  that  any  portion  of  the  Grand 
Man  can  ever  come  to  such  an  end  as  this. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  appearances  in  heaven, 
or  of  things  which  are  seen  and  done  there.  In  gen- 
eral, it  may  be  said,  that  there  is  almost  everything 
there,  that  there  is  on  earth  ;  only  that  the  heavenly 
things  are  spiritual,  and  the  earthly  natural,  and  the 
former  exist,  perhaps,  in  a  state  of  greater  perfec- 
tion. "In  the  heavens,"  says  Swedenborg,  "I  have 
seen  lambs,  sheep,  she-goats,  so  similar  to  those  seen 
in  the  world,  that  there  is  no  difference  ;  also,  turtle 
doves,  pigeons,  birds  of  paradise,  and  several  others 
of  a  beautiful  form  and  color.  I  have  seen  various 
kinds  of  fish  in  the  waters,  but  these  in  the  lowest 
parts  of  heaven." 

There  are  in  the  heavens,  as  hi  the  earth,  vegeta- 
bles of  all  kinds  and  species.  According  to  the  de- 
grees of  light  and  of  heat,  there  appear  paradisiacal 
gardens,  groves,  fields,  and  plains,  and  in  them  flower- 
beds, shrubberies,  and  grass  plats.    In  the  inmost  or 


BUSINESS  OF  HEAVEN.  173 

third  heaven,  there  are  shrubs  whose  fruits  drop  oils  ; 
flower  beds  from  which  are  scattered  abroad  the 
most  fragrant  odors ;  and  grass  plats  which  abound 
with  similar  scents.  In  the  middle  or  second  heav- 
en are  shrubs,  whose  fruits  drop  wine;  beds  of  flow- 
ers from  which  exhale  pleasant  odors,  with  seeds  of 
a  delicate  flavor,  and  grass  plats  in  like  manner." 

Some  novitiates,  on  a  certain  occasion,  entered 
heaven,  under  the  impression  that  it  was  a  world  of 
rest.  But  one  of  the  angels  soon  undeceived  them. 
"  I  will  tell  you  a  new  thing  from  heaven,"  said  he, 
"that  there  are  there  administrations,  ministries,  ju- 
diciary proceedings  greater  and  less,  also  mechanical 
arts  and  trades."  If  there  are  "judiciary  proceed- 
ings "  in  heaven,  it  would  seem  that  there  must  be 
litigation  there,  and  cases  in  law  and  equity  to  be 
decided. 

Still  further  to  satisfy  the  new  comers  as  to  the 
business  of  heaven,  the  angel  took  them  into  a  large 
library,  and  showed  them  a  vast  many  books,  to- 
gether with  "parchment  and  paper,  pen  and  ink." 
He  took  them  also  "  to  the  abodes  of  the  scribes, 
whose  writings  they  inspected,  and  wondered  that 
they  were  so  neat  and  elegant.  Next,  he  conducted 
them  to  the  museums,  gymnasiums,  and  colleges, 
where  the  literary  exercises  are  had.  Finally,  the 
angel  led  them  around  the  city  to  the  rulers,  admin- 
istrators, and  subordinate  officers,  and  showed  them 
wonderful  specimens  of  workmanship  which  are 
made  by  the  artificers."  * 

*  Conj.  Love.  §  207. 


174  SWEDENBORGIANISJI  EXAMINED. 


The  people  of  the  outer  heavens  all  wear  garments, 
but  those  of  the  inmost  or  third  heaven  go  entirely 
naked.  Swedenborg  says,  that  "  the  garments  of  the 
angels  do  not  merely  appear  as  garments,  but  they 
really  are  garments.  This  is  certain,  because  they 
not  only  see  them,  but  also  feel  them.  Also  they 
have  more  garments  than  one ;  they  put  them  oft' 
and  on ;  those  which  are  not  in  use,  they  lay  up ; 
and  when  they  again  come  into  use,  they  re-assume 
them.  That  they  are  clad  in  various  garments,  has 
been  seen  by  me  a  thousand  times." 

The  people  of  heaven  not  only  have  garments, 
but  they  dwell  in  houses,  as  when  on  the  earth.  "  I 
have  been  present  with  them,"  says  Swedenborg, 
"  in  their  houses,  which  are  altogether  like  the  houses 
of  earth,  only  more  beautiful.  In  them  are  cham- 
bers, inner-rooms,  and  bed-chambers  in  great  num- 
bers. There  are  also  courts,  and  round  about  are 
gardens,  shrubberies,  and  fields.  Where  the  habita- 
tions are  contiguous,  they  are  arranged  into  the  form 
of  a  city,  with  streets,  ways  and  forums,  altogether 
after  the  likeness  of  cities  on  our  earth." 

There  are  also  temples  in  heaven,  Avhere  the  peo- 
ple have  preaching  and  public  worship.  "The 
preacher  stands  in  a  pulpit  eastward ;  before  his  face 
sit  those  who  are  in  the  light  of  wisdom  above  oth- 
ers ;  on  the  right  hand  and  left  are  those  who  are  in 
a  lesser  light.  They  are  seated  in  the  form  of  a  cir- 
cle, so  that  all  are  in  view  of  the  preacher.  At  the 
gate,  and  to  the  left  of  the  pulpit,  stand  those  who 


ANGELIC  SPEECH. 


175 


are  in  a  state  of  initiation.  It  is  not  allowed  to  any- 
one, except  them,  to  teach  in  the  temples." 

"  Angelic  Speech"  says  Swedenborg,  " like  human 
speech,  is  sonorous  in  its  utterance,  and  sonorous  in 
the  ear  of  the  person  spoken  to ;  for  angels,  like 
men,  have  a  mouth,  a  tongue,  and  ears ;  and  they 
have  likewise  an  atmosphere,  in  which  the  sound  of 
their  speech  is  articulated."  The  writing,  in  the  in- 
most heaven  is  very  peculiar.  "  It  consists  of  various 
inflected  and  circumflected  forms ;  and  the  inflex- 
ions and  circumflexions  are  according  to  the  form  of 
heaven.  On  a  time,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  a  little  pa- 
per was  sent  to  me  from  heaven,  containing  some 
expressions  written  in  Hebrew  letters ;  and  I  was 
told  that  every  letter  involved  arcana  of  wisdom,  and 
that  those  arcana  were  contained  in  the  inflections 
and  curvatures  of  the  letters.  Then  I  understood 
what  is  signified  by  these  words  of  the  Lord,  '  Un- 
til heaven  and  earth  pass  away,  one  iota,  or  one  lit- 
tle horn,  shall  not  pass  away  from  the  law.'  In  the 
word,  the  arcana  of  heaven  are  contained  even  in  its 
iotas,  apexes,  and  little  horns."* 

It  is  wonderful  that  there  should  be  mountains  of 
sense  in  the  little  curvatures  and  apexes  of  a  Hebrew 
letter  ;  but  this  wonder  of  the  Word  is  as  nothing 
compared  with  some  others  of  which  Swedenborg 
informs  us.  "  In  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  heavenly 
temples,  the  Word  shines  before  the  angels  like  a 

*  Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  181,  184,  223,  235,  260. 


176  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


great  star,  and  sometimes  like  the  sun.  Also,  when 
any  single  verse  of  the  "Word  is  written  out  upon 
paper,  and  the  paper  is  thrown  into  the  air,  the  paper 
itself  shines  in  such  a  form  as  it  was  cut  into ;  and 
what  is  still  more  wonderful,  when  any  one  rubs  the 
face,  the  hands,  or  the  clothes,  with  the  Word  open, 
applying  the  writing  of  it  to  them,  the  face  itself,  the 
hands,  and  the  clothes  shine,  as  if  he  were  standing  in 
a  star,  and  surrounded  with  its  light.  This  I  have 
often  seen,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  and  wondered  at. 
Thence  it  was  evident  to  me  why  the  face  of  Moses 
shone,  when  he  brought  down  the  tables  of  the  cove- 
nant from  the  mount."  Moses,  it  seems,  had  rubbed 
his  face  against  the  tables. 

Swedenborg  speaks  of  other  wonders  of  the  Word 
in  heaven,  "  as  for  instance,  if  any  one  who  is  in 
falses,  looks  at  the  Word,  lying  in  the  holy  place, 
there  arises  a  thick  darkness  before  his  eyes,  and 
thence  the  Word  appears  to  him  black,  and  some- 
times as  it  were  covered  over  with  soot.  But  if  he 
also  touches  the  Word,  an  explosion  is  made  with  a 
loud  noise,  and  he  is  throion  to  a  corner  of  the  room, 
and  for  an  hour  lies  there  as  if  Jie  was  dead.  If 
any  thing  of  the  Word  is  written  out  upon  paper, 
by  any  one  who  is  in  falses,  and  the  paper  is  thrown 
up  towards  heaven,  then  a  similar  explosion  is  made 
in  the  air,  and  the  paper  is  torn  into  atoms.  "  This," 
says  Swedenborg,  "I  have  often  seen."* 

Swedenborg  tells  a  story  of  an  orthodox  prelate, 
*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  209. 


EATING   AXD  SLEEPING. 


177 


a  preacher  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith, 
who  was  knocked  over  in  heaven,  in  the  manner 
above  described.  He  insisted  that  he  had  not  falsi- 
fied the  Word,  and  was  willing  to  attest  the  truth  of 
his  assertion,  by  touching  the  terrific  symbol.  The 
angels  warned  him  to  beware,  but  he  would  not  lis- 
ten. "He  approached  the  table,  and  touched  the 
Word ;  when  suddenly  there  issued  fire  and  smoke, 
attended  with  a  loud  explosion,  which  cast  "  the  poor 
Doctor  into  one  corner  of  the  room,  where  he  lay 
for  the  space  of  an  hour  as  if  he  were  dead."  * 

According  to  Swedenborg,  there  are  morning,  noon, 
and  night  in  heaven,  and  regular  hours  for  eating 
and  sleeping,  as  on  the  earth.  On  one  occasion, 
there  were  some  visitors  in  heaven,  who  desired  to 
see  the  Prince.  "  It  is  now  morning,  said  the  angel, 
and  you  will  not  be  allowed  to  see  him  before  noon. 
Till  then,  all  are  engaged  in  their  offices  and  employ- 
ments. But  you  have  been  invited  to  dinner,  and 
then  you  will  sit  at  table  with  the  Prince."  Mean- 
while, the  guests  busied  themselves  in  viewing  the 
splendors  of  the  palace,  and  the  wonders  of  the  gar- 
den, where  they  saw  "  trees  of  oil ;  and  after  these, 
trees  of  wine ;  and  after  these,  trees  of  fragrance  ; 
and  lastly,  trees  of  timber  useful  for  building."  At 
noon,  they  were  gorgeously  attired,  and  introduced 
to  "the  grandees"  of  the  palace,  and  then  to  the 
Prince  himself,  Avho  said  to  them,  "  Come  with  me 
to  eat  bread."  Swedenborg  goes  on  to  describe  the 
*  Apocalypse  Revealed,  §  566. 

12 


178 


S  W  EDEN  BORGIA  X  ISM  EXAMINED. 


table  and  tlie  dishes ;  "  the  sweet  cakes  and  condi- 
ments ; "  a  "  fountain  overflowing  with  nectareous 
wine,  the  stream  of  which  dispersed  itself  and  filled 
the  cups  ;"  *  the  dresses  of  the  Prince,  his  counsel- 
ors and  courtiers,  even  to  "  their  breeches  and  stock- 
ings ;  "  the  conversation,  &c.  These  were  the  guests 
spoken  of  in  the  last  chapter,  who,  after  dinner,  were 
introduced  to  the  diversions  of  heaven,  such  as 
"hand-ball,  rackets,"  &c.  At  evening,  they  supped 
with  one  of  the  chief  counselors ;  after  which  "  they 
retired  separately,  each  one  to  his  own  bed-chamber, 
and  slept  till  morning."  The  next  day,  they  attended 
a  wedding  in  heaven,  the  whole  process  of  which  is 
described  at  length,  and  with  the  greatest  particular- 
ity. The  third  day,  the  guests  attended  church  in 
heaven,  and  were  introduced  to  the  preacher,  who 
was  very  careful  (as  Swedenborg's  angels  always  are) 
to  set  them  right  on  the  doctrines  of  the  trinity,  and 
of  justification  by  faith. 

Swedenborg's  principal  topic  of  interest  in  explo- 
ring the  heavens,  was  his  favorite  one  of  marriage 
and  conjugial  love.  He  learned,  not  only  that  there 
are  marriages  in  heaven,  but  that  there  are  proper 
marriages,  no  where  else.  "  Beneath  the  heavens, 
there  are  nuptial  connections  (connubia)  but  not 
marriages,  f 

Those  who  die  in  infancy  go  immediately  to  heaven, 

*  What  will  our  temperance  friends  say  to  such  a  dinner  in 
heaven  ? 

t  Conj.  Love,  §§  192,  75,  79. 


MARRIAGES  IX  HEAVEN. 


179 


to  be  taken  care  of  and  instructed ;  and  at  an  early 
period,  they  are  united  in  marriage ;  the  boys  at 
about  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  the  girls  of  fifteen. 
The  process,  by  which  the  parties  are  brought  to- 
gether and  the  nuptials  celebrated,  is  fully  described. 

It  may  be  a  comfort  to  maidens  and  bachelors,  who 
desired  marriage  on  earth,  but  could  not  effect  it,  to 
learn  that  they  are  to  be  accommodated  in  heaven. 
"  They  who  in  the  world  have  lived  unmarried,  and 
have  altogether  alienated  their  minds  from  marriage, 
ft"  they  be  spiritual,  will  remain  unmarried  in  heaven." 
"  But  it  is  otherwise  with  those  who,  in  their  celibacy, 
have  desired  marriage,  and  especially  with  those 
who  have  solicited  it  without  success.  For  these,  if 
they  are  spiritual,  blessed  marriages  are  provided  in 
JieavenP  The  unmarried  are  removed  from  the  cen- 
ter to  the  side  of  heaven,  where  they  dwell  together. 
The  reason  of  this  is,  that  "  the  sphere  of  perpetual 
celibacy  infests  the  sphere  of  conjugial  love,  which  is 
the  very  sphere  of  heaven."  * 

Swedenborg  represents  the  heavens  as  universally 
and  intensely  interested  in  this  matter  of  conjugial 
love.  The  angels  have  long  and  frequent  discussions 
on  the  subject,  to  which  it  was  Swedenborg's  privi- 
lege often  to  listen,  and  in  some  of  them  to  take  a 
part.  "  One  morning,"  he  says,  "before  the  rising  of 
the  sun,  I  looked  forth  towards  the  east  in  the  spi- 
ritual world,  and  saw  four  horsemen  as  if  flying  out 


*  Conj.  Love,  §§  187,  54. 


180 


SWKDEJfBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


from  a  cloud,  shining  with  the  flame  of  the  dawn. 
Wondering  at  them,  I  looked  up  into  heaven  and 
asked,  Whither  are  those  horsemen  going?  And  I 
received  for  an  answer,  To  the  wise  in  the  kingdoms 
of  Europe  (the  spiritual  Europe)  who  are  of  prac- 
tised reason  and  keen  sight,  and  who  have  stood  high 
among  their  people  in  reputation  for  genius,  that 
they  may  come  and  solve  the  secret  concerning"  — 
what  ?  WJiat  great  secret  is  to  be  solved?  "  Con- 
cerrdng  the  origin  of  conjugial  love,  and  concerning 
its  ability,  or  potency"  And  soon  a  delegation  of 
three  was  brought  together  from  nine  of  the  princi- 
pal kingdoms  of  the  spiritual  Europe,  viz.,  from 
Spain,  France,  Italy,  Germany,  Holland,  England, 
Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Poland,  to  consider  and  de- 
tennine  this  grave  question.  The  delegates  from 
each  country  deliberated  by  themselves,  reduced 
their  decision  to  writing,  and  handed  it  in  to  the  pre- 
siding angel.  These  decisions  were  then  pubUcly 
read,  and  Swedenborg  has  preserved  them  in  his 
work  on  Conjugial  Love.  As  it  happened,  they  were 
all  unsatisfactory  to  the  angel,  and  it  was  left  to  a 
company  of  spectators  from  Africa  (Swedenborg  had 
a  strong  predilection  for  Africa,)  to  solve  the  secret 
truly,  and  bear  away  the  palm. 

On  one  occasion,  Swedenborg  "  saw  three  noviti- 
ate spirits  "  (young  men)  just  arrived  from  this  world, 
"who  wandered  about,  examining  and  inquiring."  In 
a  short  time,  two  angels  appeared,  who  were  sent  to 
instruct  them.    And  almost  the  only  subjects  about 


MARRIAGES  IN  HEAVEN. 


181 


which  the  new  comers  seemed  to  desire  instruction, 
or  the  angels  were  inclined  to  give  it,  were  marriage, 
potency,  and  conjugial  love.  The  youths  were  ama- 
zingly interested  to  find  that  the  love  of  the  sex  con- 
tinued in  heaven ;  and  evidently  desired  to  know 
more  about  the  matter  than  they  dared  to  ask.  The 
angels,  perceiving  their  desires,  went  on  to  assure 
them  that  "  there  is  altogether  a  similar  love  between 
consorts  in  heaven,  as  on  the  earth ; "  and  not  only 
so,  but  that  this  resulted  in  "  similar  ultimate  de- 
lights /"  only  that  those  delights  are  "much  more 
blessed,  because  angelical  perception  and  sensation 
are  much  more  exquisite,  than  human  perception  and 
sensation."  The  new  comers  were  made  glad  at  this 
intelligence,  and  full  of  the  desire  of  heaven,  and  in 
the  hope  of  nuptials  there,  they  said,  '  We  will  study 
morality  and  a  becoming  conduct  of  life,  that  we 
may  have  what  we  desire."  *  What  a  motive  this, 
for  "studying  morality,  and  a  becoming  conduct  of 
life,"  and  thus  making  preparation  for  heaven  ! 

In  discussions  like  the  foregoing,  Swedenborg's 
angels,  for  some  reason,  are  always  intensely  inter- 
ested. Indeed,  one  would  suppose,  from  reading 
portions  of  his  works,  that  they  scarcely  think  of 
anything  else. 

In  view  of  all  that  has  been  said,  I  feel  constrain- 
ed to  ask,  how  much  better  is  the  heaven  of  Swe- 
denborg,  than  that  of  Mohammed  ?    Indeed,  where 


*  Conj.  Love,  §§  103 — H  i,  183,  44. 


182  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


is  the  mighty  difference  between  them  ?  For  the 
faithful  Mussulman,  says  Mohammed,  "the  Lord 
hath  prepared  two  gardens,  planted  with  shady  trees. 
In  each  of  them  are  two  fountains  flowing,  and  of 
every  fruit  two  kinds.  Ye  shall  repose  on  couches, 
the  linings  whereof  are  thick  silk,  interwoven  with 
gold  ;  and  the  fruit  of  the  gardens  shall  be  near  at 
hand  to  gather.  Therein  shall  be  beauteous  dam- 
sels, refraining  their  eyes  from  beholding  any  besides 
their  husbands,  whom  no  man  shall  have  defloAvered 
before  thee,  neither  any  spirit,  having  cbnrplexions 
like  rubies  and  pearls.  Shall  the  reward  of  good 
works  be  any  other  than  good  ?  Besides  these,  there 
shall  be  two  other  gardens,  of  a  dark  green.  In 
each  of  them  shall  be  two  fountains,  pouring  forth 
plenty  of  water.  In  each  of  them  shall  be  fruits, 
and  palm  trees,  and  pomegranates.  Therein  shall 
be  agreeable  and  beauteous  damsels,  having  fine 
black  eyes,  and  kept  in  pavilions  from  public  view. 
Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny  ?  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
possessed  of  glory  and  honor."  *  Swedenborg  ad- 
mits that  the  Mohammedan  religion  is  from  the 
Lord ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  a  Swedenborgian, 
who  had  no  -acquaintance  with  the  Koran,  on  hear- 
ing the  above  passages  read,  would  suppose,  of 
course,  that  they  were  taken  from  the  work  on 
"  Conjugial  Love." 


*  Koran,  chap.  55. 


HEAVEN   AND  HELL. 


183 


It  will  be  gathered  from  what  has  been  said,  that 
Swedenborg's  lowest  heaven,  and  his  highest  hell, 
(for  he  has  three  hells  as  well  as  heavens)  are  not  far 
asunder.  And  this  conclusion*  he  does  not  hesitate 
to  avow.  The  orb  on  which  both  the  good  and  the 
bad  spirits  dwell,  he  represents  as  one,  being  divided 
into  six  expanses,  one  below  another.  "  In  the  high- 
est expanse,  dwell  the  angels  of  the  third  heaven ; 
and  beneath  them  the  angels  of  the  second  heaven ; 
and  beneath  these  the  angels  of  the  first  heaven. 
Below  these  dwell  the  spirits  of  the  first  hell ;  and 
beneath  them  the  spirits  of  the  second  hell ;  and  be- 
neath these  the  spirits  of  the  third ;  all  things  being 
so  arranged,  that  the  evil  affections,  which  are  spi- 
rits of  hell,  are  held  in  bonds  by  the  good  affections, 
which  are  angels  of  heaven."  *  It  would  appear 
from  this  statement,  and  from  other  representations 
on  the  subject,  that  Swedenborg's  lowest  "heaven  and 
his  highest  hell  are  not  more  different  or  distant  from 
each  other,  than  are  his  several  heavens  and  hells 
among  themselves. 

All  the  inhabitants  of  hell,  like  those  of  heaven, 
are  of  the  human  species,  and  still  retain  something 
of  the  human  form,  though  this  form  is  miserably 
disfigured  and  distorted,  to  correspond,  to  the  evil 
affections  of  their  hearts.  "  In  general,"  says  Swe- 
denborg,  "the  faces  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  world 
are  direful,  and  void  of  life-like  carcasses.    In  some 


»  Ath.  Cveed,  §  34. 


184  SWEDENBORGIAMSM  EXAMINED. 

instances,  they  are  black ;  in  some  fiery,  like  little 
torches ;  some,  disfigured  with  pimples,  warts,  and 
ulcers.  In  several  instances,  no  face  apj^ears,  but  in 
its  stead  something  hairy  or  bony  ;  and  in  some  cases 
teeth  only  are  extant.  *  Their  bodies  also  are  mon- 
strous, and  their  speech  is  the  speech  of  anger,  of 
hatred,  or  revenge ;  for  every  one  speaks  from  his 
own  falses,  and  the  tone  of  his  voice  is  from  his  own 
evil ;  in  a  word,  they  are  images  of  their  own  hell."f 

The  hells,  like  the  heavens,  consist  of  numerous 
societies,  made  up  of  those  who  resemble  each  other 
in  wickedness ;  and  these  societies  retain  something 
of  the  human  form,  though  misshapen  and  distort- 
ed, as  in  the  case  of  the  individual.  Swedenborg 
says  that  in  the  gates  or  openings  of  the  hells,  there 
generally  appear  monsters,  representing  the  forms 
of  the  societies  within. 

The  hells  also,  in  the  general,  retain  something  of 
the  human  form ;  or  rather  they  resemble  "  one 
grand  devil,  and  may  be  presented  in  the  effigy  of  a 
devil."  Between  the  different  parts  and  members 
of  this  monster  devil,  and  the  various  societies  of 
hell,  there  is  a  necessary  correspondence ;  and  Swe- 
denborg tells  us  in  various  particulars,  some  of  which 
are  of  the  most  loathsome  and  disgusting  character, 

*  In  one  place,  Swedenborg  says  that  the  spirits  of  heil  have 
no  teeth.  Arc.  Celes.  §  822.  Here,  it  would  seem,  they  are 
nothing  but  teeth. 

t  Heaven  and  Hell,  553. 


ODORS  OF  HELL. 


185 


to  what  parts  of  the  monster  devil  the  different  so- 
cieties and  characters  of  hell  belong. 

As  conjugial  love  is,  with  Swedenborg,  the  source 
of  nearly  all  the  blessedness  of  heaven,  so  "  scorta- 
tory  love  "  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  the  unclean- 
liness  of  hell.  "  All  hell,"  he  says,  "abounds  in  an- 
cleanliness ;  and  the  universal  origin  of  them  is  ob- 
scene and  impure  scortatory  love." 

I  have  shown  in  a  former  chapter,  that  Sweden- 
borg attaches  much  importance  to  odors,  as  affecting 
the  blood ;  the  blood  of  a  good  man  being  nourish- 
ed by  sweet  odors,  and  that  of  a  bad  man  by  offen- 
sive ones.  (Chap.  8.)  This  absurd  principle  he 
carries  into  the  other  world,  filling  all  heaven  with 
fragrance,  and  hell  with  the  most  intolerable  stench- 
es ;  in  which  the  inhabitants,  however,  greatly  de- 
light. His  details  are  many  of  them  too  disgusting 
to  be  transcribed. 

In  several  parts  of  his  works,  Swedenborg  de- 
scribes, with  much  particularity,  the  hells  which  are 
appropriated  to  particular  characters. f  "The  pun- 
ishment of  assassins,"  he  says,  "is  dreadful.  After 
they  have  suffered  infernal  torments  for  a  succession 
of  ages,  they  at  length  acquire  a  shocking  and  most 
monstrous  countenance  or  face ;  so  that  it  is  not  a 
face,  but  a  sort  of  coarse  and  ghastly  substance. 

*It  is  remarkable  that  Swedenborg  has  no  hell  for  drunkards. 
The  probability  is,  either  that  he  saw  but  little  of  this  •vice,  or 
that  he  had  no  proper  sense  of  its  enormity. 


186 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


Thus  they  put  off  all  that  is  human,  till  every  one 
who  sees  them  shudders  at  the  sight." 

Swedenborg  describes  one  of  the  hells  as  a  "  stag- 
nant lake,"  on  the  bank  of  which  "  appear  those  who 
eat  human  flesh,  and  devour  each  other,  with  their 
teeth  sticking  in  each  others  shoulders.  At  a  farther 
distance,  there  appear  great  fishes  and  large  sea- 
monsters,  which  devour  men,  and  vomit  them  up 
again.  At  the  farthest  distance,  there  appear  most 
deformed  faces,  particularly  of  old  women,  so  mon- 
strous that  it  is  impossible  to  describe  them,  running 
to  and  fro  like  mad  persons." 

Another  hell  is  appropriated  to  those  u  who  have 
taken  delight  in  cruelty,  and  at  the  same  time  in 
adultery."  These  "form  to  themselves  instruments 
like  pestles  and  mortars,  with  which  they  bruise  and 
torture  whomsoever  they  can.  They  make  also  broad 
axes,  such  as  are  used  by  executioners,  and  a  sort  of 
awl  or  auger,  with  which  they  cruelly  torment  each 
other." 

In  one  of  the  hells,  Swedenborg  saw  a  grinding 
instrument,  with  which  some  malicious  devil  "was 
grinding  up  men  with  great  delight."  The  angels 
told  him  that  this  represented  the  Israelites,  to  whom 
nothing  was  more  delightful  than  to  treat  the  nations 
with  cruelty." 

Swedenborg  thus  describes  the  hell  of  the  Popes 
of  Rome.  "Afterwards  hell  was  opened,  and  I  saw 
two,  one  sitting  upon  a  bench,  holding  his  feet  in  a 
basket  full  of  serpents,  which  seemed  creeping  softly 


THE  INTERMEDIATE  STATE. 


1ST 


upwards  over  the  breast,  even  to  the  neck.  The  other 
was  sitting  upon  an  ignited  ass,  at  whose  sides  red 
serpents  were  creeping,  raising  their  necks  and  heads, 
and  following  the  rider.  It  was  said  to  me  that  they 
were  Popes,  who  depi'ived  emperors  of  their  domin- 
ion, and  ill-treated  them  at  Rome,  whither  they  came 
supplicating  and  adoring  them." 

I  need  present  no  further  extracts,  to  give  my 
readers  a  sufficient  idea  of  the  hells  of  Swedenborg. 
And  now  what  are  we  to  think  of  them  ?  Do  these 
accounts  resemble  at  all  the  solemn,  impressive,  awful 
representations  of  the  Bible  on  the  same  subject  ? 
Do  they  not  more  resemble  the  vagaries  of  the  Mus- 
sulman, or  the  wild  fancies  of  the  uninstructed  hea- 
then '?  And  are  they  not  equally  at  variance  with 
reason,  with  decency,  and  with  common  sense,  as 
they  are  with  the  decisions  of  God's  word  ?  I  wish 
to  think  charitably  of  Emmanuel  Swedenborg,  and  I 
do.  But  there  is  only  one  supposition,  as  it  seems 
to  me,  on  which  this  is  possible ;  and  that  I  shall  en- 
deavor to  explain  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

But  I  have  not  yet  quite  done  with  Swedenborg's 
representations  of  the  invisible  world.  I  have  ex- 
hibited, to  some  extent,  his  heavens  and  his  hells ; 
but  there  was,  with  him,  a  middle  region,  an  inter- 
mediate state  ;  and  into  this  also  we  must  look  before 
we  close.  The  greater  part  of  what  he  calls  his 
"  Memorable  Relations,"  has  respect  to  what  is  trans- 
acted here. 

Swedenborg  taught,  as  I  have  before  said,  that 


188 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EX.V3n.VED. 


"  man  after  death  is  equally  a  man  as  before,  and 
does  not  know,  for  a  time,  but  that  he  is  still  in  the 
former  world.  He  walks,  runs  and  sits,  as  in  the 
former  world  ;  he  lies  down,  sleeps  and  wakes  up,  as 
in  the  former  world ;  he  eats  and  drinks  as  in  the 
former  world ;  he  enjoys  conjugial  delight  as  in  the 
former  world ;  in  short,  he  is  a  man,  as  to  all  and 
every  particular." 

"  In  the  spiritual  world,  there  are  lands  as  in  the 
natural  world.  There  are  plains  and  valleys,  moun- 
tains and  hills,  fountains  and  rivers.  There  are  para- 
dises, gardens,  groves  and  woods.  There  are  cities, 
and  in  them  palaces  and  houses,  also  writings  and 
books.  There  are  employments  and  trades ;  there 
are  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones ;  in  a  word,  there 
are  all  things  whatsoever  that  are  in  the  natural 
world,  only  some  of  them  are  in  greater  perfec- 
tion." 

Swedenborg  found  the  people  of  different  nations 
and  religions  living  separately  in  the  spiritual  world; 
and  he  gives  us  a  particular  account  of  the  circum- 
stances of  the  Dutch,  the  English,  the  Germans,  the 
Papists,  the  Mohammedans,  the  Africans,  and  the 
Jews.  "  There  are  two  great  cities,"  he  says,  "  like 
London  in  the  spiritual  world,  into  which  most  of  the 
English  come  after  death.  It  has  been  given  me  to 
see  the  former  city,  and  to  walk  over  it. 

The  Roman  Catholic  saints  are  concealed  in  the 
other  world  under  ground,  and  all  communication 
with  their  former  worshipers  is  taken  away.  For 


THE   INVISIBLE  WORLD. 


189 


the  satisfaction  of  Swedenborg,  "as  many  as  a  hun- 
dred were  brought  forth  from  the  earth  below,  who 
knew  of  their  canonization.  They  ascended  behind 
my  back,  and  only  a  few  before  my  face,  and  I  spoke 
with  one  of  them,  who  they  said  was  Xavier.  While 
he  talked  with  me,  he  was  like  a  fool ;  yet  he  could 
tell  that  in  his  place,  where  he  was  shut  up  with  others, 
he  was  not  a  fool,  but  that  he  becomes  a  fool  as  often 
as  he  thinks  that  he  is  a  saint."    Poor  Saint  Xavier ! 

For  the  Africans,  Swedenborg  seems  to  have  felt 
a  strong  predilection.  He  found  them  "  superior  to 
the  rest  in  interior  judgment,"  and  better  prepared 
to  receive  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church.  Indeed, 
"  there  is,  at  this  day,  a  revelation  made  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Africa,  which,  having  commenced,  goes  from 
its  region  around,  but  yet  not  to  the  seas.  They 
despise  foreigners  coming  from  Europe,  who  believe 
that  man  is  saved  by  faith  alone." 

Swedenborg  despised  the  Jews  as  much  as  he 
loved  the  Africans.  He  says  "  they  trade  in  the 
other  world,  as  they  did  on  earth,  in  various  things, 
but  especially  in  precious  stones."  And  what  is  re- 
markable, they  succeeded  in  purloining  a  great  quan- 
tity of  pearls  and  precious  stones  out  of  heaven,  and 
then  went  round  peddling  them  all  over  the  spiritual 
World.  Yea,  worse  than  this,  the  knavish  creatures 
made  some  counterfeit  diamonds,  which  they  were 
putting  off  in  connection  with  those  which  they  had 
stolen.  * 

»  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  792—841. 


190  SWKDliNBuKiWANISJl  KXAXI1NKD. 


The  relations  of  Swedenborg  of  things  which  lie 
saw  in  the  spiritual  world  are  some  of  them  pretty, 
so  far  as  the  imagery  is  concerned  ;  some  are  silly  ; 
some  obscene ;  some  monstrous ;  and  all  are  strange. 
He  evidently  attached  a  high  importance  to  them, 
as  he  has  published  the  same,  in  some  instances,  three 
or  four  times  over.  To  present  them  all  would  be 
to  republish  no  inconsiderable  part  of  his  volumes  ; 
and  in  making  a  selection,  it  is  difficult,  to  know 
where  to  begin  or  end.  My  limits  will  confine  me 
to  a  mere  abstract  of  two,  which  may  be  taken  as 
samples  of  the  rest. 

Swedenborg  was  once  present  at  a  council  in  the 
spiritual  world,  convened  for  the  discussion  of  faith, 
"  and  of  the  justification  of  the  elect  by  it."  "  On 
the  right  side,  stood  the  apostolic  fathers,  who  lived 
before  the  council  of  Nice ;  and  on  the  left  stood  dis- 
tinguished theologians  of  later  times.  Many  of  these 
had  their  faces  shaved,  and  their  heads  covered  with 
wigs  made  of  women's  hair,  and  some  of  them  had 
collars  of  twisted  intestines,  and  some  had  collars  of 
other  stuff ;  but  the  former  class  had  long  beards, 
and  wore  their  natural  hair.  Before  them  stood  a 
man,  who  was  judge  and  critic,  with  a  staff  in  his 
hand,  with  which  he  struck  the  ground,  and  com- 
manded silence.  He  then  went  up  into  the  pulpit 
and  breathed  forth  a  groan,  so  deep  that  he  was  well 
nigh  choked  with  it.  At  length,  recovering  himself, 
he  said,  O  my  brothers,  what  an  age  !  There  has 
risen  up  one  from  the  herd  of  the  laity,"  (meaning 


THE   INVISIBLE  WORLD. 


191 


Swedenborg)  "  having  neither  gown,  cap  nor  laurel, 
who  has  pulled  down  their  faith  from  heaven  and 
cast  it  into  the  Styx !  Oh  horrible  !  And  yet  that 
faith  alone  is  our  star,  which  shines  like  Orion  in 
the  night,  and  like  Lucifer  in  the  morning."  The 
President  goes  on  bemoaning  and  complaining  of 
what  Swedenborg  had  done,  and  concludes  by  ap- 
pealing to  the  council  whether  he  had  not  spoken 
wisely.  "  At  these  words,  the  members  on  the  left 
side,  whose  faces  were  shaven,  and  who  wore  wigs 
and  collars,  clapped  their  hands  and  exclaimed,  '  You 
have  spoken  most  wisely.  Let  that  prophet  tell  us 
whence  faith  is,  and  what  it  is,  if  ours  be  not  faith. 
To  produce  any  other  faith  than  this  is  as  impossible, 
as  it  would  be  for  a  man  to  ride  on  horseback  to  a 
constellation  in  heaven,  and  take  thence  a  star,  and 
put  it  in  his  pocket,  and  bring  it  down.'"  But  the 
apostolic  fathers  on  the  right  hand  did  not  agree 
with  their  shorn  and  wigged  brethren  on  the  left. 
"  Your  faith,"  said  they,  "  is  like  the  empty  sepulcher 
of  the  Saviour ;  or  it  is  like  the  golden  calf,  around 
which  the  children  of  Israel  danced,  when  Moses  had 
gone  into  Mount  Sinai."  These  apostolic  fathers 
went  on  to  express  their  faith  in  the  New  Church 
doctrines,  and  at  length  Swedenborg  himself  is  called 
in  to  confirm  them.  The  council  issued  more  favor- 
ably than  such  meetings  commonly  do;  as  a  consid- 
erable part  of  those  on  the  left  hand  were  converted 
to  the  New  Church  faith. 

I  present  but  another  of  Swedenborg's  relations, 


192  5\Vi.DKNB0KGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 

which  is  also  a  doctrinal  one.  "  On  a  certain  time," 
he  says,  "  I  was  seized  with  a  strong  desire  of  see- 
ing some  country  in  the  frigid  zone  of  the  spiritual 
world,  where  the  boreal  spirits  dwell ;  and  therefore 
I  was  led  in  spirit  to  the  north,  where  all  the  land 
appeared  covered  with  snow,  and  all  the  water  con- 
gealed to  ice.  It  was  the  Sabbath,  and  I  saw  men 
(i.  e.  spirits  of  the  same  stature  as  men)  who  were 
clad,  as  to  the  head,  with  the  skin  of  a  lion,  whose 
mouth  had  been  applied  to  their  mouth ;  as  to  the 
body,  with  the  skins  of  leopards ;  and  as  to  the  feet, 
with  the  skins  of  bears.  Also  I  saw  many  riding  in 
chariots,  some  of  which  were  can  ed  in  the  shape  of 
a  dragon,  whose  horns  were  extended  forward. 
These  chariots  were  drawn  by  little  horses,  whose 
tails  had  been  cut  off.  These  were  running  like  ter- 
rible wild  beasts,  and  the  driver,  holding  the  reins 
in  his  hands,  was  continually  impelling  and  urging 
them  in  their  course.  I  saw,  at  length,  that  the 
multitudes  were  flocking  to  a  temple,  which,  because 
it  was  covered  with  snow,  had  not  been  seen.  But 
the  keepers  of  the  temple  were  loosening  the  snow, 
and  preparing  an  entrance  for  the  worshipers,  who 
went  in  and  took  their  places."  Swedenborg  also 
went  in  with  them  ;  and  he  goes  on  to  describe  the 
interior  of  the  "temple,  the  rights,  the  altar,  the 
preacher,  and  the  sermon  which  he  heard  on  "  the 
grand  mysteries  of  the  gospel."  "  Oh  how  great  a 
mystery,"  exclaimed  the  preacher,  "  that  God  in  the 
highest  begat  a  Son  from  eternitv  and  bv  him  brought 


MYSTERIES  OP  THE  GOSPEL. 


193 


forth  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  three  joined  themselves 
together  in  essence,  but  separated  themselves  by 
properties !  But  if  we  look  into  these  things  by 
reason,  its  sight  is  blinded.  Wherefore,  my  hearers, 
let  us  keep  the  understanding  under  obedience  to 
faith.  And  oh,  how  great  a  mystery  is  our  holy 
faith.  That  God  the  Father  imputes  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Son,  and  sends  the  Holy  Ghost,  who,  by 
that  imputed  righteousness,  operates  the  pledges  of 
justification,  concerning  which  man  knows  no  more 
than  the  pillar  of  salt  into  which  Lot's  wife  was 
turned  ;  no  more  than  a  fish  in  the  sea.  But  here, 
again,  is  a  treasure  so  entirely  covered  and  conceal- 
ed, that  not  a  grain  of  it  appears.  Wherefore,  as  to 
this  also,  let  us  keep  the  understanding  in  obedience 
to  faith.  After  some  sighs,  the  preacher  exclaimed 
again,  Oh,  how  great  a  mystery  is  election  !  He  is 
elected  to  whom  God  imputes  that  faith,  which,  ac- 
cording to  a  free  purpose,  and  of  pure  grace,  he  in- 
fuses into  whomsoever  he  will,  and  when  he  will ; 
and  man  is  like  a  stock  when  it  is  being  infused,  but 
he  becomes  like  a  tree,  when  it  is  infused.  But  this, 
also,  is  a  mystical  truth,  and  we  must  keep  the  un- 
derstanding in  obedience  to  faith.  And  then,  after 
a  pause,  the  preacher  continued,  saying,  From  the 
store  of  mysteries  I  will  produce  yet  one  more, 
which  is,  that  man,  in  spiritual  things,  has  not  a  grain 
of  free  will,  and  can  not  think  concerning  them  from 
reason,  or  speak  from  thought,  otherwise  than  like  a 
parrot,  a  magpie,  or  a  raven  ;  so  that  man  is  truly  an 

1:5 


194 


SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


ass  in  spiritual  things,  and  a  man  only  in  natural 
things.  But  lest  this,  my  hearers,  should  trouble 
your  reason,  you  should  in  this,  as  in  all  the  rest, 
keep  the  understanding  under  obedience  to  faith. 
For  our  theology  is  an  abyss  without  a  bottom,  into 
which,  if  you  suffer  your  understanding  to  look,  you 
will  be  drowned  and  lost.  Xevertheless,  we  are  in 
the  very  light  of  the  gospel,  shining  high  above  our 
heads ;  but  alas,  the  hair  of  our  heads  and  the  bones 
of  our  skulls  prevent  it  from  penetrating  into  the 
chamber  of  our  understanding."  * 

Surely,  never  before  was  sermon  preached  under 
circumstances  like  this ;  and  never  before  was  heard 
such  a  sermon.  I  have  presented  an  abstract  of  it, 
that  my  readers  may  know  what  kind  of  preaching 
Swedenborg  pretends  to  have  heard,  under  the  snow- 
banks and  in  the  frigid  zone  of  the  spiritual  world. 
As  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  author  to  ridicule  the 
faith  and  the  worship  of  evangelical  Christians,  the 
whole  would  be  very  tolerable.  But  we  are  not  at 
liberty  to  regard  it  in  this  light.  It  is  a  veritable 
narrative  of  what  Swedenborg  declares  that  he  saw 
and  heard  in  the  spiritual  world.  And  now  who  be- 
lieves in  the  existence  of  such  things  there  ?  Who 
in  his  senses  can  believe  it  ?  As  I  said  before,  if 
Swedenborg  was  disposed  to  invent  fables  to  ridicule 
the  faith  of  evangelical  Christians,  he  might.  But 
to  impose  such  nonsense  upon  the  faith  of  men,  as 


True  Chris.  Religion,  §§  113,  185. 


GARMENTS  OF  ANGELS. 


195 


revelations  from  the  spiritual  world  —  this  is  too 
much.  Verily,  his  followers  have  need  to  profit  by 
the  oft-repeated  exhortation  of  the  snow-bank  preach- 
er, and  "  keep  then-  understandings  under  obedience 
to  faith." 

I  know  it  will  be  said,  that  the  things  here  spoken 
of  are  mere  appearances,  correspondences,  having 
no  more  actual  existence  than  the  phantasies  of  a 
dream. 

But  though  Swedenborg  could  say  as  much  as 
this,  when  it  suited  his  purpose,  and  often  did  say 
it ;  yet  in  other  connections  he  said  directly  the  re- 
verse. It  was  his  boast,  that  the  spiritual  world,  ac- 
cording to  his  theology,  is  a  sitbstantial  world.  He 
claimed  a  prodigious  advantage  over  the  commonly 
received  opinions,  on  this  A'ery  account.  "All  things 
here,"  he  says,  "  are  substantial,  though  not  materi- 
al. Material  things  derive  their  origin  from  things 
spiritual,  which  are  substantial.  We  who  are  here 
are  spiritual  men,  because  substantial  and  not  ma- 
terial."* Speaking  of  the  garments  of  angels,  he 
says,  "  They  do  not  merely  appear  as  garments,  but 
they  really  are  garments.  This  is  manifest  from  the 
consideration,  that  they  not  only  see  them,  but  feel 
them.  Also,  they  have  more  garments  than  one. 
They  put  them  off  and  on  ;  and  those  which  are  not 
in  use,  they  lay  up,  and  when  they  come  again  into 
use,  they  re-assume  them.    That  they  are  clothed 


*  Conj.  Love,  §  207. 


196 


SWEDENBOEGIAJTISM  EXAMINED. 


with  various  garments,  has  been  seen  by  me  a  thou- 
sand times."  * 

Swedenborgians  may  take  which  horn  of  this  di- 
lemma they  prefer ;  for  certainly  tftey  are  not  enti- 
tled to  both.  If  they  mean  to  say  that  the  other 
life  is  one  of  mere  appearances,  correspondences, 
visions,  shadows  ;  then  let  them  say  it,  and  take  the 
consequences.  But  if  they  mean  to  represent  that 
world  as  one  of  substantial  realities — not  less  so 
than  the  present,  though  it  be  spiritual ;  then  let 
them  account  for  it  that  it  contains  realities,  and 
seems  to  be  well  nigh  filled  up  with  them,  so  hide- 
ous, ridiculous,  gross,  monstrous,  and  incredible,  as 
those  which  have  been  described. 


*  Heayen  anl  Hell,  §  181. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  CLAIMS  AND  THE  DOCTRINES  OF 
SWEDENBOKG,  CONTINUED. 

Objection  14. 

My  next  objection  lies  not  only  against  Sweden- 
borg,  but  his  followers.  He  proposed  to  them  cer- 
tain tests  of  the  validity  of  his  claims,  drawn  not 
from  the  other  world,  but  this  —  tests  which,  with- 
out any  supernatural  illumination,  they  are  able  to 
apply.  But  they  have  never  applied  them,  nor  is  it 
likely  they  ever  will ;  since  the  result  of  the  appli- 
cation could  only  be  to  demonstrate  the  falsehood 
of  his  pretensions.  I  shall  have  time  to  notice  only 
two  of  these  tests. 

Swedenborg  taught  that,  in  his  time,  a  new  gospel 
or  revelation  was  being  made  to  the  Africans, 
"which,  having  commenced,  goes  from  its  region 
around,  but  not  yet  to  the  seas."  These  enlightened 
Africans  "  despise  foreigners  coming  from  Europe, 


]98  SWEDEXBORGLLNlSil  EXAMINED. 


who  believe  that  man  is  saved  from  faith  alone."  * 
In  another  of  his-  works,  Swedenborg  introduces 
the  same  subject  as  follows  :  "  Such  being  the  char- 
acter of  the  Africans,  there  is  at  this  day  a  revela- 
tion begun  among  them,  which  is  communicated 
from  the  center  round  about,  but  does  not  extend  to 
the  sea  coasts.  They  acknowledge  our  Lord  as  the 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  laugh  at  the  monks 
who  visit  them,  and  at  Christians  who  talk  of  a 
three-fold  divinity,  and  of  salvation  by  mere  thought. 
I  was  informed  from  heaven,  that  the  things  contain- 
ed in  the  doctrine  of  the  Xew  Jerusalem  concerning 
the  Lord,  concerning  the  Word,  and  in  the  doctrine 
of  Life,  are  now  revealed,  by  word  of  mouth,  by  an- 
gelic spirits,  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  country."  Of 
these  people  it  is  further  said,  that  though  "  permit- 
ted by  their  laws  to  take  several  wives,  they  never- 
theless have  but  one.  Strangers  from  Europe  are 
not  freely  admitted  among  them ;  and  when  any, 
especially  if  they  are  monks,  penetrate  into  the 
country,  they  inquire?  of  them  what  they  know  ;  and 
when  they  relate  any  particulars  concerning  their 
religion,  they  call  them  trifles  which  are  offensive 
to  their  ears.  And  then  they  send  them  away  to 
some  useful  employment ;  and  in  case  they  refuse  to 
work,  they  sell  them  for  slaves."  f 

The  amount  of  this  disclosure  is  (and  Swedenborg 
says  he  received  it  from  heaven)  that  there  exists,  in 

»  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  840. 

t  Continuation  of  Last  Judgment,  §  76 — 78. 


NEW  CHURCH  IN  AFRICA. 


199 


the  interior  of  Africa,  an  important  branch  of  the 
New  Church.  These  Africans  had  a  revelation  made 
to  them,  "  by  word  of  month  from  the  angels,"  al- 
most a  hundred  years  ago.  They  have  received  at 
least  three  of  the  "four  leading  doctrines  of  the  New 
Church  ; "  viz.  those  concerning  the  Lord,  concern- 
ing the  Word,  and  concerning  Life.  Of  course,  they 
have  abjured  idols,  and  polygamy,  and  hold  the  doc- 
trine of  correspondences.  Though  these  people  live 
in  the  interior  of  Africa,  still  they  are  not  unknown 
in  other  lands.  "  Foreigners  from  Europe  "  some- 
times go  amongst  them,  especially  the  monks,  some 
of  whom  they  have  sold  into  slavery.  Such  is  the 
account ;  and  now  I  ask,  is  it  credible  ?  Do  Swe- 
denborgians  themselves  believe  it  ?  Why  have  not 
the  Europeans,  who  have  been  among  them  from 
time  to  time,  during  the  past  century,  given  us  some 
account  of  this  wonderful  people  ?  The  monks,  too, 
whom  they  have  sold  into  slavery,  why  is  it  that 
nothing  has  been  heard  from  them  ?  The  superiors 
of  the  several  monkish  orders,  the  Propagandists  at 
Rome,  are  very  likely  to  learn  all  about  their  mission- 
aries ;  why  is  it  that  they  have  heard  nothing  re- 
specting these  poor  monks,  whom  the  New  Church 
people  in  Africa  have  sold  into  slavery?  More  es- 
pecially, why  do  not  the  Swedenborgians  of  Eng- 
land, of  Germany,  of  France,  of  America,  send 
agents  forthwith  into  Africa,  to  search  out  their  in- 
sulated brethren,  and  establish  regular  communica- 
tions with  them?    But  one  answer  can  be  given  to 


2U0 


SWEDENIioRiUANISii  EXAHINED. 


all  these  questions.  The/re  are  no  such  'people  in 
Africa,  as  Swedenborg  describes.  If  there  were  any 
such,  most  certainly  they  had  been  heard  of  during 
the  last  century.  Or  if  Swedenborgians  really  be- 
lieved there  were  any  such,  undoubtedly  they  bad 
made  some  effort  to  search  them  out.  It  may  be 
supjjosed  that  the  inhabitants  of  interior  Africa,  who 
are  comparatively  removed  from  the  influence  of 
the  slave  trade,  and  from  intercourse  with  unprinci- 
pled whites,  are  less  degraded  and  corrupt  than  those 
on  the  coast  ;  but  that  there  is  a  people  there,  who 
have  abjured  polygamy,*  and  idolatry;  who  have 
intercourse  with  the  angels  "by  word  of  mouth," 
and  hold  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  is  one 
of  the  last  things  in  this  world  (o  be  believed.  It 
never  will  be  believed,  until  the  people  are  searched 
out,  and  the  facts  of  the  case  are  brought  to  light. 
And  yet  the  account  is  essentially  involved  in  Swe- 
denborg's  revelations,  and  is  strictly  true,  or  lie  was 
a  false  prophet. 

But  to  come  to  the  other  test,  which  is  still  more 
decisive,  and  which  Swedenborg  left  it  in  solemn  in- 
junction upon  his  followers  to  apply.  He  taught  that 
Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  "  with  those  of  his 
society,  collected  correspondences,  as  they  had  re- 
ceived them  from  their  forefathers,  and  handed  down 

*  Polygamy  seems  to  prevail  all  over  the  interior  of  Africa. 
"  The  king  of  Ashantee  has  8300  wives.  The  king  of  Yoruba 
told  Clapperton  that  his  wives,  linked  hand  in  hand,  would  reach 
entirely  across  his  dominione." 


THE  ANCIENT  WORD. 


201 


the  sciences  thereof  to  posterity."  *  Enoch,  there- 
fore, was  the  writer  of  what  Swedenborg  calls  "  the 
most  ancient  "Word."  From  this  Word,  Moses  copied 
the  first  eleven  chapters  of  Genesis  entire,  and  made 
frequent  quotations  from  other  parts  of  it.  "  Con- 
cerning this  ancient  Word,"  says  Swedenborg,  "which 
had  been  in  Asia  before  the  Israelitish  Word,  it  is 
permitted  to  relate  this  news,  that  it  is  still  reserved 
there  among  the  people  who  live  in  great  Tartary.  I 
have  conversed  with  spirits  and  angels  who  were 
thence  in  the  spiritual  world,  who  informed  me  that 
they  possess  the  Word,  and  that  they  have  preserved 
it  from  ancient  times,  and  that  they  perform  their 
divine  worship  according  to  this  Word,  and  that  it 
consists  of  mere  correspondences.  They  said  that 
in  it  is  the  book  of  Jasher,  mentioned  in  Joshua  x. 
12,  13,  and  in  2d  Samuel  i.  17,  18;  also  that  with 
them  are  the  books  called  the  Wars  of  the  Lord ; 
and  the  Enunciations,  mentioned  by  Moses,  Num- 
bers xxi.  14,  15,  and  27 — 30.  And  when  I  read  to 
them  the  words  which  Moses  had  taken  thence,  they 
looked  to  see  if  they  were  there,  and  found  them. 
In  conversing  with  them,  they  said  that  they  worship 
Jehovah,  some  as  an  invisible  God,  and  some  as  visi- 
ble. They  further  told  me  that  they  do  not  suffer 
foreigners  to  come  among  them,  except  the  Chinese, 

*  Sacred  Scripture,  §  21.  Enoch  is  here  spoken  of  as  an  indi- 
vidual man  ;  but  in  the  Arcana  Celestia,  §  516,  it  is  said  that 
Enoch  "  signifies  the  seventh  church  ;  "  and  Swedenborg  goes  on 
to  speak  of  "  the  church  Enoch." 


202  SWEDENBOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


with  whom  they  cultivate  peace,  because  the  Chinese 
Emperor  is  from  their  country ;  also  that  their  coun- 
try is  exceedingly  populous,  beyond  that  of  almost 
any  other ;  which  is  quite  credible,  from  the  wall  of 
so  many  miles  which  the  Chinese  built,  to  protect 
their  country  against  invasion  from  them.  More- 
over I  heard  from  the  angels,  that  the  first  chapters 
of  Genesis,  which  treat  of  the  creation,  and  of  the 
first  ages  of  the  world  up  to  the  time  of  Noah  and 
his  sons,  are  also  in  that  "Word,  and  that  they  were 
copied  thence  by  Moses."  *  Of  this  Word  or  Scrip- 
ture, Swedenborg  gives  us  repeatedly  the  same  ac- 
count, in  every  instance  affirming  that  it  is  still  pre- 
served among  the  inhabitants  of  Great  Tartary,  and 
enjoining  on  his  followers  to  search  for  it  that  they 
may  find  it.  "  Seek  for  it  in  China,  and  peradven- 
ture  you  may  find  it  there  among  the  Tartars."  | 

To  the  existence  of  this  most  ancient  Word  in 
Tartary,  the  system  of  Swedenborg  is  fully  commit- 
ted. If  he  taught  anything,  he  taught  this.  He  de- 
clared too,  that  he  learned  it  by  revelation  from  the 
angels.  Nor  does  he  leave  us  in  doubt  as  to  the  lo- 
cation of  Great  Tartary.  It  is  directly  north  of  the 
Chinese  wall,  which  wall  was  built  to  exclude  these 
Tartars  from  the  Chinese  empire.  They  are  repre- 
sented as  an  exceedingly  numerous  people ;  none  in 
the  world  more  so  ;  and  they  conduct  their  religious 

*  True  Chris.  Religion,  §  279. 

•f  Apoc.  Revealed  §  11.  See  also  Appendix,  to  True  Chris. 
Religion,  §  39.    Conj.  Love,  §  77. 


THE  ANCIENT  WORD. 


203 


worship  according  to  the  ancient  Word.  They  have 
much  intercourse  with  the  Chinese,  whose  emperor 
is  from  their  country.  And  now  I  ask,  if  what  Swe- 
denborg  calls  the  most  ancient  Word  is  actually  in 
existence  among  this  people ;  if  it  is  understood  and 
received  by  them,  and  has  been  so  from  the  most  an- 
cient times ;  and  if  their  religious  worship  and  rites 
are  regulated  according  to  it,  why  has  it  never  been 
discovered  ?  And  why  has  not  the  great  nation  re- 
ceiving it  been  discovered  ?  This  whole  region  has 
long  been  known  to  the  nominally  Christian  world  ; 
was  traversed  by  the  Nestorian  missionaries,  and  cov- 
ered with  their  churches,  during  all  the  middle  ages  ; 
why  did  not  they  discover  the  most  ancient  Word  ? 
Then  here  was  the  Christian  empire  of  the  renowned 
Prester  John  and  his  successors;  why  did  they  make  no 
such  discovery?  The  Romish  missionaries  have  been 
in  China  and  Chinese  Tartary  these  hundreds  of  years; 
why  have  they  found  no  such  Scripture  or  people  as 
Swedenborg  describes  ?  The  Chinese  Emperors,  too, 
are  of  Tartar  origin,  and  from  the  very  people  who 
are  said  to  possess  the  most  ancient  Word  ;  how  is 
it  that  they  know  nothing  of  it,  or  if  they  know, 
have  made  no  communications?  Above  all,  why 
do  not  our  Swedenborgians  obey  the  injunction  of 
their  great  teacher,  and  go  and  search  for  the  ancient 
Word?  How  can  they  reconcile  it  to  their  con- 
sciences to  stay  at  home,  and  make  no  inquisition 
for  so  great  a  treasure,  in  palpable  violation  of  his 
instructions,  and  to  the  great  reproach  and  detriment 


204  SWEDEXKOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

of  their  cause  ?  If  they  could  find  a  manuscript  in 
China  or  Tartary,  containing  the  first  eleven  chap- 
ters of  Genesis,  the  book  of  Jasher,  the  Enunciations, 
and  the  Wars  of  the  Lord,  with  sufficient  evidence 
that  it  had  remained  there  from  the  days  of  the 
patriarchs ;  if  they  could  find  a  people  receiving  such 
a  book,  and  regulating  their  worship  by  it ;  there  is 
no  telling  what  an  impulse  it  would  give  to  the  New 
Church.  Such  a  manuscript  is  certainly  there,  and  such 
a  people  are  there,  unless  the  angels  imposed  upon 
Swedenborg,  and  he  upon  the  world ;  and  he  com- 
manded his  followei-s  to  go  and  find  it.  He  put  the 
truth  of  his  mission  upon  this  very  test.  And  yet 
no  Swedenborgian,  to  my  knowledge,  has  ever  been 
into  China  or  Tartary,  to  make  search  for  the  ancient 
Word  ;  and  I  venture  to  say  none  ever  will  go.  These 
people  dare  not  fairly  and  openly  apply  the  test  which 
their  master  has  left  them.  The  Christian  world 
waits  to  see  them  do  it.  No  intelligent  Swedenbor- 
gian ought  to  think  of  urging  his  system  farther,  un- 
til the  most  ancient  Word  is  found.  When  it  is 
found  (if  it  ever  is)  he  will  be  able,  with  much  bet- 
ter reason,  to  enforce  his  claims.  If  it  can  not  be 
found,  he  ought  to  relinquish  his  claims  for  ever. 

Objection  15. 

I  object,  finally,  to  the  doctrines  of  Swedenborg, 
that  they  terminate  in  materialism  and  jjantheism. 
The  present  is  a  material  world ;  and  yet  it  exists, 
according  to  Swedenborg,  from  the  very  substance  of 


OX   THE  HUMAN  SOUL. 


20.5 


God.  It  is  in  fact,  an  emanation  from  God.  Hence, 
the  substance  of  God  must  be  material. 

And  what,  according  to  Swedenborg,  is  the  human 
soul  ?  It  is  no  other  than  the  nervous  or  spirituous 
fluid.''''  "  This  fluid  is  the  spirit  and  soul  of  its  body." 
"  We  may  take  it  for  certain,  that  if  this  fluid  and 
the  soul  agree  with  each  other  in  their  predicates, 
the  fluid  must  be  accepted  as  the  soul."*  Sweden- 
borg rejects  the  doctrine  "  of  Descartes  and  others, 
that  the  soul  is  a  substance  distinct  from  the 
bod>/,  in  which  it  remains  as  long  as  the  heart  beats." 
"Every  thing  of  the  soul,"  he  says,  "is  of  the  body, 
and  every  thing  of  the  body  is  of  the  soul."  "  The 
mind  is  that  element  of  the  body  which  is  in  first 
principles,"  &c.  f 

These  decisions  of  Swedenborg  as  to  the  nature 
of  the  soul  are  accepted  by  his  followers,  or  at  least 
by  some  of  them.  "  The  distinction  between  mind 
and  matter,"  says  Mr.  Clissold,  "  lies  not  in  essence, 
but  in  form."  \  Mr.  Dawson  represents  it  as  one  of 
the  great  uses  of  Swedenborg's  writings,  that  "  they 
help  to  break  down  the  mischievous,  man-made  dis- 
tinction between  spirit  and  matter."  §  And  Mr.  Wil- 
kinson says,  "  We  regard  body  and  soul  together  as 
distinctly  and  inseparably  one."  || 

*  Economy  of  the  Animal  Kingdom,  Vol.  II  pp.,  233,  236. 

+  See  New  Church  Repository,  Vol.  L,  p.  308. 

%  Introduction  to  Animal  Kingdom,  p.  54. 

§  N.  J.  Magazine,  Vol.  xx,  p.  4'J7. 

II  Tracts  for  the  New  Times,  No.  3,  p.  25. 


206 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


This  system  also  terminates  logically,  and  that  too 
by  a  very  short  process  of  reason,  in  pantheism.  If 
what  is  commonly  called  the  created  universe  is  of 
the  very  substance  of  God,  then  there  is  really  but 
one  substance  in  the  universe.  God  is  everything, 
and  everything  God ;  and  this  is  pantheism. 

I  know  not  whether  the  followers  of  Swedenborg 
are  prepared  to  accept  this  conclusion  ;  but  really,  as 
it  seems  to  me,  there  is  no  avoiding  it.  If,  in  the 
beginning,  God  created  all  things,  not  from  nothing, 
but  "  out  of  himself,"  so  that  everything  partakes  of 
the  very  substance  of  the  Deity ;  who  can  deny  that 
the  system  is  pantheism,  —  as  really  so  as  that  of 
Spinoza  ? 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  STATE  AXD  CHARACTER  OF  SWEDENBORG's  MIND, 
SUBSEQUENT  TO  HIS  SUPPOSED  ILLUMINATION. 

Having  now  finished  what  I  proposed  to  offer  by 
way  of  objection  to  the  doctrines  and  the  claims  of 
Swedenborg,  it  remains  that  we  endeavor  to  form  a 
correct  estimate  of  his  character.  Was  he  sane,  or 
insane  ?  Was  he  a  deluded  fanatic,  or  a  willful  and 
wicked  impostor? 

I  am  anxious,  if  possible,  to  avoid  the  latter  of 
these  alternatives,  and  after  all  the  attention  which  I 
have  been  able  to  give  to  the  subject,  I  feel  satisfied 
that  this  may  and  should  be  done.  I  do  not  believe 
that  Swedenborg  was  a  willful  impostor.  I  regard 
him  as,  in  the  main,  honest  in  his  pretensions;  and 
have  no  doubt  that  he  really  thought  he  enjoyed  that 
kind  of  intercourse  with  angels  and  spirits  of  which 
he  speaks.  There  is  an  artlessness,  a  simplicity,  a 
sincerity  about  him,  a  disregard  of  personal  reputa- 
tion and  influence,  a  seeming  confidence  in  the  truth 


203  SWEDEXBORGIA^ISJI  EXA^ILSED. 


of  his  disclosures,  which  an  impostor  could  not  well 
assume.  He  evidently  had  the  impression,  so  com- 
mon in  certain  forms  of  insanity,  that  he  had  been 
raised  up  for  a  very  great  purpose ;  that  his  disclo- 
sures were  of  the  last  importance  to  the  world ;  and 
he  went  forward,  writing  and  publishing  them,  and 
making  them  known  as  fast  as  possible. 

But  in  ascribing  to  Swedenborg  some  degree  of 
insanity,  we  are  not,  of  course,  to  suppose  him  a  de- 
mented idiot,  or  a  raving  madman.  He  was  neither 
the  one,  nor  the  other.  He  was  a  laborious  student 
in  his  way  —  a  calm,  quiet,  and  benevolent  man.  He 
was  as  capable  of  reasoning  on  most  subjects  as  he 
ever  was,  and  retained  the  vigor  of  his  faculties  to 
old  age,  in  a  remarkable  degree.  His  last  publication, 
that  entitled  "  the  True  Christian  Religion,"  issued 
when  he  was  more  than  eighty,  is  on  the  whole  the 
most  respectable  of  any  of  his  later  works.  We 
discover  in  it  no  marks  of  dotage,  and  no  indications 
of  mental  imbecility  or  infirmity,  other  than  those 
which  appear  everywhere  in  his  theological. writings. 

My  own  opinion  in  regard  to  Swedenborg  is  this : 
that  at  the  time  of  his  supposed  illumination,  he  fell 
into  a  species  of  monomania  —  that  sometimes  de- 
nominated idolomania.  Or  if  any  choose  to  consid- 
er it  a  state  of  natural  somnambulism,  I  shall  not 
quarrel  with  them  about  a  name.  At  any  rate,  it 
was  a  state  in  which  he  seemed  to  himself  to  look 
in  upon  the  other  world,  to  behold  around  him  spi- 
rits and  angels,  and  to  have  intercourse  and  conversa- 


SPIRITUAL  SIGHT. 


209 


tion  with  them.  He  was  in  this  state  not  constant- 
ly, but  frequently,  perhaps  usually.  Nor  does  it 
seem  to  have  been  optional  with  him,  at  all  times, 
whether  he  should  be  in  this  state,  or  not.  It  is  said 
that  in  his  last  sickness  he  was  deprived  of  his  spi- 
ritual sight ;  on  which  account  he  was  greatly  trou- 
bled, and  "  vehemently  cried  out,  O  my  God !  hast 
thou  then  wholly  forsaken  thy  servant  at  last  ?  But 
in  a  few  days  he  recovered  his  spiritual  sight,  which 
appeared  to  make  him  completely  happy."  * 

The  state  into  which  I  suppose  Swedenborg  fell 
would  imply  some  disorder  of  the  brain,  and  of  the 
nervous  system  ;  and  yet  not  such  a  degree  of  dis- 
order as  to  deprive  him  of  reason,  or  the  free  use  of 
his  faculties,  on  subjects  not  connected  with  that  of 
his  derangement.  Nothing  is  more  common  than 
to  see  persons  insane  on  some  one  particular  subject, 
and  sane  in  regard  to  everything  else.  Nor  is  it  at 
all  uncommon  to  find  persons  insane  on  precisely  the 
same  subject  with  Swedenborg,  and  in  almost  exactly 
the  same  condition,  f    I  know  of  no  facts  in  relation 

*  Hobart's  Memoir,  p.  89. 

t  In  the  year  1813,  Dr.  John  Ferriar  of  London  published  an 
Essay,  on  the  subject  of  Apparitions.  In  it,  he  lays  down  the 
following  proposition,  'which  he  establishes  by  a  great  variety  of 
proof:  "  A  partial  affection  of  the  brain  may  exist  which  ren- 
ders the  patient  liable  to  spectral  illusions,  without  disordering 
the  judgment  or  memory.  From  this  peculiar  condition  of  the 
sensorium,  the  best  supported  stories  of  apparitions  may  be  com- 
pletely accounted  for.';  A  venerable  man  now  living,  who  once 
was  almost,  if  not  quite,  a  Swedenborgian,  lately  told  me,  that 
14 


210 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


to  him,  (luring  the  last  thirty  years  of  his  life,  which 
are  not  in  harmony  with  the  above  supposition ; 
while  various  facts  and  considerations  may  be  ad- 
duced in  proof  of  its  correctness. 

1.  In  this  view,  I  may  appeal,  first,  to  what  we 
know  of  Swedenborg's  studies,  and  of  the  state  of 
his  body  and  mind,  just  previous  to  his  supposed  il- 
lumination ;  also  to  the  account  which  he  himself 
has  given  of  the  change.  "While  "with  the  most  in- 
tense  application  of  mind "  (to  use  his  own  lan- 
guage) he  was  pursuing  his  physiological  inquiries, 
endeavoring  to  reach  and  investigate  the  soul  through 
the  medium  of  the  body,  and  discover  the  hidden 
bond  which  unites  the  material  to  the  spiritual,  he 
was  arrested,  in  the  city  of  London,  by  a  severe  at- 
tack of  fever,  attended  with  delirium.  So  says  Dr. 
Hartley,  one  of  his  earliest  followers  and  friends. 
This  took  place  near  the  close  of  the  year  17-44,  or 

it  was  Dr.  Ferriar's  Essay  which  opened  his  eyes  to  understand 
the  real  condition  of  Swedenborg.  See  a  Review  of  Ferriar  in 
the  Christian  Observer  for  Dec.  1813. 

In  the  New  Englander  for  July,  1846,  there  is  an  able  article, 
by  Dr.  Knight  of  New  Haven,  on  Diseases  of  the  Nervous  Sys- 
tem. In  a  certain  diseased  state  of  the  nerves  of  the  senses,  says 
Dr.  K.,  "  sensation  is  experienced,  without  the  presence  of  the 
objects  upon  which  it  ordinarily  depends."  Such  is  the  case  with 
persons  in  delirium  tremens,  and  in  acute  fevers.  "  These  also 
are  they,  who  see  visions,  and  dream  dreams,  to  whom  revela- 
tions of  hidden  and  mysterious  things  are  made,  and  who  con- 
verse with  angels,  or  with  spirits  of  the  dead.  Swedenborg's 
case,  according  to  Dr.  K.,  was  one  of  a  diseased  nervout  system. 


FIRST  VISITATION. 


211 


early  in  the  following  year.  In  tlie  spring  of  1745 
■ —  probably  before  his  mind  and  body  were  fully  re- 
stored —  we  find  him  still  in  London,  employed  as 
usual  in  his  favorite  investigations.  "I  dined  one 
day,"  he  says,  "  rather  late  by  myself,  at  a  boarding 
house,  where  I  kept  a  room  in  which,  at  pleasure,  I 
could  prosecute  the  study  of  the  natural  sciences. 
I  was  hungry  "  (as  men  generally  are  when  recover- 
ing from  fever)  "and  ate  with  great  appetite.  At 
the  end  of  the  meal,  I  remarked  that  a  vapor,  as  it 
were,  clouded  my  sight,  and  the  walls  of  my  cham- 
ber appeared  covered  with  frightful  creeping  things, 
such  as  serpents,  toads,  and  the  like.  I  was  filled 
with  astonishment,  but  retained  the  full  use  of  my 
perceptions  and  thoughts.  The  darkness  attained  to 
its  height,  and  soon  passed  away.  I  then  perceived 
a  man  sitting  in  the  corner  of  my  chamber.  As  I 
thought  myself  entirely  alone,  I  was  greatly  terrified, 
when  he  spoke  and  said,  '  Eat  not  so  much?  The 
cloud  once  more  came  over  my  sight,  and  when  it 
passed  away,  I  found  myself  alone  in  the  chamber." 
"In  the  following  night,  the  same  man  appeared  to 
me  again,  and  said,  '  I  am  God,  the  Lord,'"  &c.  I 
know  not  how  this  account  may  appear  to  others ; 
but  to  my  own  apprehension,  if  Swedenborg  had  un- 
dertaken to  describe  a  transformation  from  a  state  of 
sanity  to  one  of  partial  insanity  —  insanity  in  regard 
to  a  particular  class  of  subjects,  —  he  could  hardly 
have  done  it  in  fitter  terms.  Nothing  is  more  likely 
than  that  the  unreasonable  indulgence  of  his  appe- 


212 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISJI  EXAMINED. 


tite  should  have  so  affected  his  lately  diseased  and 
now  but  partially  restored  cerebral  and  nervous  sys- 
tem, as  to  produce  the  strange  appearances  which  he 
describes.  While  nothing  is  more  unlikely  than  that 
the  Lord  should  have  seized  an  occasion  such  as  this 
—  an  occasion  of  intemperate  and  censured  indul- 
gence, to  bestow  upon  him  the  greatest  honor,  — to 
open,  as  he  says,  the  eyes  of  his  spirit,  and  commis- 
sion him  as  his  inspired  messenger  to  the  world. 

I  have  said  that  Swedenborg  was  at  this  time 
deeply  engaged  in  his  physiological  studies.  It  aj>- 
pears  that  he  was  not  wholly  so.  I  have  before  me 
one  of  his  works,  entitled  "  The  Worship  and  the 
Love  of  God,"  written  just  previous  to  his  pretended 
illumination,  but  published  after  it.  It  is  a  sort  of 
allegorical,  poetical  production  on  the  creation  of 
the  world,  and  of  the  first  human  pair.  Celestial 
spirits  are  continually  introduced,  to  give  complete- 
ness and  interest  to  the  story.  It  shows  Sweden- 
borg to  have  been  a  man  of  fancy,  rather  than  of 
judgment  —  fond  of  theory  and  inclined  to  themar- 
A'elous  —  even  in  his  best  state.  I  could  have  pre- 
dicted, after  reading  this  book,  that  if  the  author 
ever  fell  into  any  kind  of  mania,  it  would  be  one  in 
which  he  would  have  intercourse  with  imaginary 
beings. 

2.  Swedenborg  speaks  often  of  sensations  in  his 
head,  and  of  the  state  of  his  brain,  in  a  way  to  indi- 
cate disorder  there.  Take  the  following  passages  as 
specimens.    "  I  was  once  seized  suddenly  with  a  dis- 


A  DISORDERED  BEAMS". 


213 


ease  that  seemed  to  threaten  my  life.  My  whole 
head  was  oppressed  with  pain.  A  pestilential  smoke 
was  let  in  from  the  great  city  called  Sodom  and 
Egypt.  Rev.  xi.  8.  Half  dead  with  severe  anguish, 
I  expected  every  moment  to  be  my  last.  Thus  I  lay 
in  my  bed  for  the  space  of  three  days  and  a  half. 
My  spirit  was  reduced  to  this  state,  and  in  conse- 
quence thereof,  my  body.  Then  I  heard  about  me 
the  voices  of  persons,  saying,  '  Lo,  he  lies  dead  in 
the  street  of  our  city,  who  preached  repentance  for 
the  remission  of  sins.'  And  they  asked  several  of 
the  clergy  whether  he  was  worthy  of  burial,  and 
they  answered,  '  No ;  let  him  lie  to  be  made  a  spec- 
tacle of ; '  and  they  passed  to  and  fro  and  mocked."* 

He  speaks  elsewhere  of  the  changes  in  the  state 
of  his  brain.  "  Immediately  on  this,  I  was  made 
sensible  of  a  remarkable  change  in  the  brain,  and  of 
a  powerful  operation  thence  proceeding." 

3.  It  will  be  admitted,  I  suppose,  that  the  minds 
of  those  who  are  subject  to  fits  of  somnambulism, 
strongly  marked,  coming  upon  them  without  any 
external  means  (and  such  cases  are  not  infrequent) 
can  not  be  in  a  perfectly  healthy  condition.  Now 
that  Swedeuborg  was  one  of  this  class  is  evident 
from  his  own  confession,  and  is  conceded  by  his  fol- 
lowers. 

For  the  sake  of  illustrating  the  fact  of  man's  be- 
ing a  spirit  as  to  his  interiors,  I  am  disposed  to  re- 
late," says  Swedeuborg,  "some  experimental  cases 
*  Apoo.  Revealed,  §  531. 


214 


SWEDEXHOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


of  the  manner  in  which  a  man  is  withdrawn  from 
the  body,  and  is  taken  array  by  the  spirit  to  another 
place.  As  to  what  concerns  the  first  point,  viz: 
being  withdrawn  from  the  body,  the  case  is  this: 
Man  is  brought  into  a  certain  state,  which  is  a  mid- 
dle state  between  sleeping  and  waking  •  and  when  he 
is  in  this  state,  he  can  not  know  that  he  is  any  other 
than  that  he  is  wide  aicake,  all  his  senses  being  awake 
as  in  the  highest  wakefulness  of  the  body.  In  this 
state  also,  spirits  and  angels  are  seen  altogether  to 
the  life ;  and  they  are  likewise  heard,  and  (what 
is  wonderful)  touched,  and  in  this  case,  scarcely  any- 
thing of  the  body  intervenes.  This  is  the  state 
which  is  called  being  withdrawn  from  the  body.  Into 
this  state  I  have  been  let  only  three  or  four  times, 
that  I  might  just  know  what  was  its  quality."  "As 
to  what  concerns  the  other  point,  viz :  being  carried 
away  by  the  spirit  to  another  place,  it  has  been 
shown  me  by  living  experience  what  it  is,  and  in 
what  manner  it  is  effected ;  but  this  only  two  or  three 
times.  One  single  experience  I  am  disposed  to  ad- 
duce. Walking  through  the  streets  of  a  city,  and 
through  fields,  and  being  engaged  also  in  discourse 
with  spirits,  I  knew  no  other  than  that  I  was  aicake 
with  my  eyes  open  as  at  other  times,  as  I  walked 
without  error.  In  the  meantime,  I  was  in  vision, 
seeing  groves,  rivers,  palaces,  houses,  and  many  other 
objects.  But  after  I  had  thus  walked  for  some  hours, 
suddenly  I  was  in  bodily  vision,  and  found  that  I 
was  in  another  place ;  at  which  being  greatly  aston- 


(SOMNAMBULISM. 


215 


ished,  I  perceived  that  I  had  been  iu  a  state  similar 
to  that  of  those  of  whom  it  is  said,  that  they  were 
translated  by  the  spirit  into  another  place ;  for,  du- 
ring the  process,  the  way  is  not  attended  to,  though 
it  be  of  several  miles ;  nor  is  time  reflected  on, 
whether  it  be  of  hours  or  days ;  neither  is  any 
fatigue  perceived.  On  such  occasions  also,  the  man 
is  directed  through  ways  of  which  he  is  himself 
ignorant,  without  error,  till  he  reaches  the  place  of 
his  destination."*  That  the  cases  here  described 
are  both  of  them  genuine  cases  of  somnambulism,  I 
suppose  no  one  at  all  acquainted  with  those  forms  of 
mental  aberration  can  doubt.  Indeed,  Mr.  Bush  says 
expressly,  after  quoting  the  above  passages,  "  The 
state  here  described  is  so  strikingly  analogous  to  that 
produced  by  mesmerism,  that  it  can  scarcely  be  re- 
garded otherwise  than  as  an  actual  development  of 
the  interior  condition,  brought  about  by  that  myste- 
rious agency."  t  Yet  no  outward  means  were  em- 
ployed with  Swedcnborg  to  induce  this  state.  He 
fell  into  it.  He  did  so,  he  acknowledges,  several 
times.  He  may  have  been  in  this  state  more  fre- 
quently than  he  imagined ;  for  he  says  that  while  in 
it,  "  lie  knew  no  other  than  that  he  was  awake."  He 
intimates  in  a  following  passage,  that  this  was  not 
the  state  in  which  lie  ordinarily  held  intercourse  with 
spirits  and  angels,  as  that  was- one  of  "full  wakeful- 
ness of  body."    But  how  could  he  know  that  this 

*  Heaven  and  Hell,  §§  439—441. 
t  Swed.  Library,  p.  25. 


216 


SWEDENBOROIANI.-4.U  EXAMINED. 


state  was  not  one  of  "full  wakefulness  of  body ; " 
since  he  says  expressly  that,  while  in  it,  one 
"  can  not  know  any  other  than  that  he  is  alto- 
gether awake?"  I  do  not  affirm  that  all  Swe- 
denborg's  supposed  intercourse  with  the  spiritual 
world  occurred  during  his  fits  of  somnambulism ; 
though  I  cannot  perceive,  from  his  own  account  of 
the  matter,  how  he  could  know  ox  affirm  the  con- 
trary. But  what  I  mean  to  say  is  this  :  He  was  sub- 
ject to  such  Jits.  This  he  confesses,  and  his  friends 
allow.  And  certainly,  his  being  subject  to  them,  — 
falling  into  them  from  time  to  time,  without  any 
external  appliances,  is  evidence  enough  of  a  mind 
diseased. 

4.  The  private  habits  of  Swedenborg  during  the 
last  thirty  years  of  his  life,  as  detailed  by  those  who 
were  nearest  to  him  and  most  intimate  with  him, 
clearly  indicate  derangement.  The  following  pas- 
sages are  from  Mr.  Robsam's  Memoir  :  "  The  old  gar- 
dener and  his  wife  told  me,  with  much  apparent 
sympathy  and  compassion,  that  when  their  master 
(Swedenborg)  was  alone  in  his  chamber,  he  often 
spoke  loud  and  fervently.  They  could  hear  him  dis- 
tinctly, because  their  chamber  was  adjoining  his. 
When  they  inquired  the  cause  of  his  restlessness  dur- 
ing the  night,  he  would  answer,  that  bad  spirits 
attempted  to  injure  him,  and  for  that  cause  he  had 
spoken  as  he  did."  —  "After  one  of  these  trials  he 
went  to  bed,  and  remained  there  many  clays  and 
nights  without  rising.    His  domestics  felt  great 


SOMNAMBULISM. 


217 


anxiety  on  his  account,  and  feared  he  had  diesl  of 
some  great  fright.  They  thought  of  calling  his  rela- 
tions, and  forcing  open  the  door ;  but  at  length  the 
gardener  climbed  up  to  a  window,  and  on  looking  in, 
to  his  great  joy  saw  his  master  turn  himself  in  bed. 
On  the  following  day,  he  rang  his  bell.  The  gar- 
dener's wife  went  to  his  chamber,  and  told  him  how 
much  they  had  suffered  from  anxiety  on  his  account ; 
to  which  he  replied,  with  a  benignant  countenance, 
that  he  was  well,  and  had  needed  nothing." 

"  I  inquired  of  the  gardener's  wife,  if  she  had  ever 
observed  anything  remarkable  in  Swedenborg's  eyes, 
or  the  expression  of  his  countenance,  during  the 
time  he  was  in  the  spirit.  She  answered,  'One  day, 
after  dinner,  I  went  into  his  room,  and  sate  his  eyes 
shining  with  an  appearance  like  clear  fire.  I  stepped 
back  astonished  and  exclaimed,  "For  God's  sake, 
what  is  the  matter  ?  You  look  fearfully  ?  How  then 
do  I  look,  said  he  ?  I  told  him  what  I  saw.  Well, 
well,  said  he,  do  not  fear.  The  Lord  has  opened  my 
bodily  eyes,  and  I  am  in  the  spirit ;  but  I  shall  soon 
be  out  of  this  state,  and  it  will  not  hurt  me.  It  was 
even  as  he  said ;  for  in  about  half  an  hour  the  shin- 
ing appearance  ceased." 

On  one  of  his  voyages  from  Sweden  to  England, 
Swedenborg  remained  almost  the  whole  time  in  his 
berth,  "  but  was  often  heard  speaking,  as  if  in  con- 
versation. The  cabin  boy  and  steward  told  the  cap- 
tain that  he  appeared  to  be  out  of  his  head.  The 
captain  answered,  He  may  be  out  of  his  head,  or 


'218  SWEDEN BOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

not;  but  so  long  as  he  remains  quiet,  I  have  no 
power  over  him."  Of  another  of  his  voyages  to 
London  it  is  said,  that  for  "  most  of  the  time,  he  lay- 
in  his  berth  and  talked."  * 

On  another  occasion,  when  about  to  leave  England 
for  his  own  country,  he  put  up  for  the  night  at  an 
inn  near  the  port,  expecting  to  embark  in  the  morn- 
ing. After  he  had  been  a  while  in  bed,  his  friends 
heard  a  remarkable  noise  in  his  room  ;  when,  looking 
in  through  a  window,  they  "  saw  him  with  his  hands 
raised  toward  heaven,  and  his  body  appeared  to 
tremble.  He  spoke  much  for  the  space  of  half  an 
hour,  but  they  could  understand  nothing  of  what  he 
said,  except  that  when  he  let  down  his  hands,  they 
heard  him  say  with  a  loud  voice,  my  God! "  He 
afterwards  explained  the  matter  to  them  by  saying, 
that  he  had  "had  a  long  discourse  with  heavenly 
friends."  f 

I  do  not  urge  these  testimonies  —  all  which  be- 
come from  the  friends  of  Swedenborg,  as  conclusive 
proof  of  his  insanity,  and  yet  they  obviously  indicate 
it.  A  person  pursuing  just  such  a  course  of  life 
among  ourselves  —  exhibiting  the  same  strangeness, 
occasional  wildness,  and  eccentricity  of  deportment, 
could  hardly  avoid  the  imputation  of  being  more  or 
less  insane. 

5.  Hence,  it  is  not  be  wondered  at,  that  the  opin- 
ion prevailed  pretty  extensively  among  Swedenborg's 

*  In  Hobart's  life,  pp.  216—218. 
t  Documents,  &c,  p.  68. 


Wesley's  opinion  of  swedenborg.  '219 


cotemporaries,  that  he  was  a  mentally  disordered 
man.  Such  was  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Wesley;  —  an 
opinion  formed,  not  from  hostility  to  Swedenborg, 
or  from  any  prejudice  against  him;  for  originally  his 
prejudices  were  strong  in  his  favor.  "I  sat  down," 
says  he,  "  to  day  to  read,  and  seriously  to  consider, 
some  of  the  writings  of  Baron  Swedenborg.  I  began 
with  huge  prejudices  in  his  favor,  knowing  him  to 
be  a  pious  man,  one  of  a  strong  understanding,  of 
much  learning,  and  one  who  thoroughly  believed 
himself.  But  I  could  not  hold  out  long.  Any  one 
of  his  visions  puts  his  real  character  out  of  doubt. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  ingenious,  lively,  entertaining 
madmen  that  ever  sat  pen  to  paper.  But  his  waking 
dreams  are  so  wild,  so  far  remote  both  from  scripture 
and  common  sense,  that  one  might  as  easily  swallow 
the  stories  of  Tom  Thumb,  or  of  Jack  the  Giant 
killer." 

Again,  Mr.  "Wesley  says,  "  In  traveling  this  week, 
I  looked  over  Baron  Swedenborg's  account  of  heav- 
en and  hell.  He  was  a  man  of  piety,  of  a  strong 
understanding,  and  a  most  lively  imagination.  But 
he  had  a  violent  fever  when  he  was  about  fifty-five 
years  old,  which  quite  overturned  his  understanding. 
Nor  did  he  ever  recover  it,  but  it  continued  '  majestic, 
though  in  ruins?  From  that  time,  he  was  exactly 
in  the  state  of  that  man  at  Argos, 

"  Qui  se  creihbat  miros  audire  trugcedos, 
In  vacuo  luctns  sessor ,  plausorq  ;  theatro.'" 


220  SWEDENBORG1ANISM  EXAMINED. 


"  Who  wond'rous  tragedies  was  wont  to  hear, 
Sitting  alone  in  th'  empty  theater."  * 

At  the  period  when  Swedenborg  was  so  much  in 
London,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mathesius  was  minister  of 
the  Swedish  chapel  there.  lie  is  represented  by  Mr. 
Noble,  as  a  personal  enemy  of  Swedenborg;  but  I 
have  seen  no  evidence  of  this,  except  that  he  regard- 
ed him  as  a  deranged  man.  He  told  the  same  story 
as  Wesley,  and  jn-obably  was  the  informant  of  Wes- 
ley, viz.  that  just  previous  to  his  pretended  illumina- 
tion, Swedenborg  had  a  violent  fever,  attended  with 
delirium  ;  and  though  he  recovered  from  the  fever, 
his  reason  was  never  fully  restored.  As  to  the  fever 
and  delirium,  Mr.  Mathesius'  situation  gave  him  the 
best  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the 
facts.  In  regard  to  subsequent  derangement,  he 
could  only  express  an  opinion  /  and  that  was  as  be- 
fore stated.  And  this  seems  to  have  been  the  opin- 
ion generally  entertained  in  England  at  that  time, 
by  those  who  knew  anything  of  Swedenborg,  and 
were  not  the  receivers  of  his  doctrines. 

The  same  opinion  also  prevailed  extensively  in 
Sweclenborg's  own  country.  At  Dr.  Beyer's  first  in- 
terview with  him  at  Gottenberg,  he  entertained,  he 
says,  "the  same  sentiments  with  many  others  in  that 
country,  with  respect  to  his  being  a  madman" 

The  following  circumstance  is  recorded  by  Mr. 
Robsam.    "During  the  sitting  of  the  Diet,  in  17G9, 
certain  members  of  the  ecclesiastical  order  contrived 
*  Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  3,  p.  203.    Vol  4,  p.  31 


NICOLAI  OF  BERLIN. 


221 


a  very  crafty  plan  of  attack  against  Swedenborg. 
They  purposed  to  bring  him  to  trial,  and  in  the  first 
stage  of  the  hearing,  to  declare  that  lie  had  lost  his 
mind,  and  become  insane,  by  excessive  endeavors  to 
explore  religious  mysteries;  and  this  plan  would 
have  taken  away  his  freedom,  and  confined  him  in  a 
mad  house,  as  an  insane  person."  *  Mr.  Robsani 
goes  on  to  say  that  the  project  was  abandoned,  only 
in  consideration  of  Swedenborg's  station  in  society, 
and  the  respectability  of  his  family  connections. 
Now  admitting  (what  is  very  probable)  that  this 
whole  design  was  malicious,  as  it  certainly  was  un- 
reasonable ;  for,  sane  or  insane,  Swedenborg  was 
never  a  dangerous  man ;  still,  the  fact  that  such  a 
design  was  formed,  and  woidd  have  been  executed 
but  for  the  reason  assigned,  shows  how  deeply  and 
generally  the  impression  prevailed,  that  he  was,  at 
least  partially,  an  insane  person. 

I  might  argue  the  prevalence  of  such  an  opinion, 
by  referring,  not  only  to  the  early  attacks  which  were 
made  upon  Swedenborg,  but  to  the  defenses  of  his 
friends  ;  nearly  all  of  whom  were  careful  to  vindi- 
cate him,  so  far  as  possible,  from  the  imputation  of 
insanity  ;  —  a  thing  which  they  certainly  would  not 
have  done,  had  not  such  an  impression  pretty  exten- 
sively prevailed. 

I  have  said  that  instances  of  insanity  almost  pre- 
cisely similar  to  that  of  Swedenborg,  are  by  no 


*  Documents,  &c,  pt>.  80,  89. 


S2'2  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

means  uncommon.  It  may  be  important  to  adduce 
a  few  Avell  attested  cases. 

The  first  to  which  I  shall  refer,  is  that  of  Nicolai, 
the  celebrated  Berlin  bookseller.    He  was  a  philos- 
opher, and  a  man  of  learning,  but  one  in  whom  the 
imaginative  power  was  very  excitable,  and  in  a  high 
degree  inventive  or  creative.    In  these  respects  he 
resembled  Swedenborg.    Having  met  with  a  series 
of  vexations  and  disappointments,  his   wife  and 
another  person  came  into  his  room  one  morning,  in 
order  to  console  him  ;  "  but  I  was  too  much  agitated," 
he  says,  "to  be  capable  of  attending  to  them.  On 
a  sudden,  I  perceived,  at  about  the  distance  of  ten 
steps,  a  form  like  that  of  a  deceased  person.  I 
pointed  at  it,  and  asked  my  wife  if  she  did  not  see 
it.    It  was  but  natural  that  she  should  not  see  any- 
thing.   My  question,  therefore,  alarmed  her  very 
much,  and  she  immediately  sent  for  a  physician. 
The  phantom  continued  about  eight  minutes,  and 
disappeared."    Nicolai  afterwards  slept  a  little  ;  saw 
his  physician  ;  and  both  hoped  that  no  unpleasant 
consequences  would  be  realized.    "But  the  violent 
agitation  of  my  mind,"  says  he,  "  had  in  some  way 
disordered  my  nerves,  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon, 
the  form  which  I  had  seen  in  the  morning  re-appear- 
ed.   I  was  by  myself  when  this  happened,  and  being 
rather  uneasy  at  the  circumstance,  I  went  to  my 
wife's  apartment ;  but  there,  likewise,  I  was  followed 
by  the  apparition,  which,  at  intervals,  disappeared, 
and  always  presented  itself  in  a  standing  posture. 


NICOLAI  OF  BERLIN. 


About  six  o'clock,  there  appeared  several  -walking 
figures,  which  had  no  connection  with  the  first. 

"After  the  first  day,  the  form  of  the  deceased  per- 
son no  more  appeared,  but  its  place  was  supplied 
with  other  phantoms,  sometimes  representing  ac- 
quaintances, but  mostly  strangers ;  and  of  those 
whom  I  knew,  some  were  living  persons,  and  others 
deceased.*  These  phantoms  seemed  equally  clear 
and  distinct  at  all  times,  by  day  and  by  night,  alone 
and  in  company,  in  my  own  house  and  when  abroad. 
When  I  shut  my  eyes,  they  would  often  vanish  en- 
tirely, but  appear  again  as  soon  as  my  eyes  were 
opened.  I  saw  human  forms  of  both  sexes ;  but 
usually  they  seemed  not  to  take  the  smallest  notice 
of  each  other,  moving  as  in  a  market  place,  where 
all  are  eager  to  press  through  the  crowd.  At  times, 
however,  they  seemed  to  be  transacting  business 
with  each  other." 

"  All  these  phantoms  appeared  to  me  in  their  nat- 
ural size,  and  as  distinct  as  if  alive,  exhibiting  dif- 
ferent complexions,  as  well  as  different  colors  and 
fashions  in  their  dresses.  None  of  them  appeared 
particularly  terrible,  comical,  or  disgusting.  Most 
of  them  were  of  an  indifferent  shape,  and  some  pre- 
sented a  pleasing  aspect.  About  four  weeks  after 
the  phantoms  first  appeared,  they  increased  in  num- 
ber, and  I  began  to  hear  them  talk.    They  sometimes 

*  Swedenborg's  specters  were  not  all  of  them  deceased.  Some 
were  living  on  the  earth  at  the  time  when  he  saw  them,  or  seem- 
ed to  eee  them  in  the  other  world.    See  Documents,  &c,  p.  113. 


224 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EXA3ILXED. 


conversed  among  themselves,  but  more  commonly 
directed  their  discourse  to  me.  Their  speeches  were 
short,  and  never  of  an  unpleasant  character.  At 
different  times,  dear  friends  of  both  sexes  appeared 
to  me,  whose  addresses  tended  to  appease  my  grief, 
which  had  not  yet  wholly  subsided.  These  consol- 
ing friends  generally  addressed  me  when  alone  ;  but 
not  unfrequently  in  company,  and  sometimes  while 
real  persons  were  speaking  to  me." 

Had  Xicolai  recorded  these  addresses,  and  pub- 
lished them  as  "  Memorable  Relations,"  I  doubt  not 
they  had  been  quite  as  edifying  as  those  of 
Swedenborg.  Nicolai  constantly  regarded  his  case 
as  one  of  disease,  and  was  finally  cured  by  the  ap- 
plication of  leeches.* 

The  next  case  of  which  I  shall  give  some  account 
is  that  of  Mrs.  Kauffe,  commonly  called  "  the  Seer- 
ess  of  Prevorst."  A  Memoir  of  her,  of  some  three 
hundred  pages,  has  been  published  by  Dr.  Ker- 
ner,  her  physician,  at  whose  house  she  spent  the  lat- 
ter part  of  her  life.  She  was  naturally  nervous,  hys- 
terical and  superstitious;  and  these  infirmities  of 
her  nature  were  all  heightened  by  the  manner  of  her 
education.  She  was  nurtured,  so  to  speak,  in  the 
midst  of  specters,  and  was  often  affected,  almost  to 
madness,  by  the  terrific  character  of  her  dreams. 

*  Memoir  on  the  appearance  of  Specters  or  Phantoms  occasion- 
ed by  Disease,  read  by  Nicolai  to  the  Royal  Society  of  Berlin, 
Feb.  28th,  1799,  as  quoted  by  Hibberf,  Part  I.  Chap.  1.  Quoted 
also  by  Prof.  Upham,  in  his  "  Disordered  Mental  Action,"  §  70. 


THE  CASE  OF  MRS.  KAUFFE. 


225 


She  was  a  notable  subject  of  the  mesmeric  influence, 
from  which,  at  different  times,  she  derived  much 
benefit. 

Her  veritable  ghost-seeing  commenced  not  long 
after  her  marriage,  some  time  in  the  year  1822.  The 
first  specter  that  visited  her  was  that  of  "  an  old 
knight,"  who  told  her  that  he  was  miserable  in  the 
other  world ;  "  that  he  had  murdered  his  brother ; 
and  that  there  was  something  concealed  in  a  certain 
vault,  the  discovery  of  which  would  ease  his  re- 
morse." The  seeress,  like  Swedenborg,  was  a  fre- 
quent instructor  of  the  spirits ;  and  as  her  instruc- 
tions were  more  Scriptural  than  his,  they  were  com- 
monly attended  with  better  results.  She  told  the 
knight,  that  to  open  the  vault  would  give  him  no  re- 
lief. He  must  repent,  and  pray,  and  flee  to  the  Sav- 
iour. She  prayed  with  him  herself  in  repeated  in- 
stances. After  a  while,  "  his  dark  form  became  grad- 
ually brighter ;  he  thanked  her  for  leading  him  to 
Christ ;  and  after  appearing  with  his  children,  and 
singing  a  song  of  joy,  he  visited  her  no  more." 

Her  next  apparition  was  that  of  a  "  short  figure, 
with  a  dark  cowl  like  a  monk,  and  an  old  looking, 
wrinkled  face.  He  also  confessed  himself  to  have 
been  a  murderer.  He  continued  his  visits  for  a 
whole  year.  At  length,  under  the  influence  of  her 
good  instructions,  his  form  became  brighter ;  he 
made  less  noise ;  and  finally  disappeared. 

"  A  tall  female,  holding  in  her  arms  a  new-born 
child,  occasionally  accompanied  the  old  monk  during 
15 


226 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


his  later  visits.  She  assured  Mrs.  Kauffe,  that  she 
could  be  happy,  if  she  only  knew  how  to  approach 
the  Redeemer.  She  came  to  her  for  her  prayers  and 
advice.  Mrs.  Kauffe  urged  her  to  pray  for  herself ; 
and  finally,  after  many  visits,  the  specter  came  to 
her  in  a  whit?  robe,  saying,  '  The  time  is  come  for 
me  to  know  that  Jesus  Christ  is  really  the  Son  of 
God.'  Mrs.  Kauffe  then  prayed  earnestly  with  her, 
after  which  she  appeared  no  nice." 

Besides  her  native  German,  the  seeress  professed 
to  speak  in  another  language,  which  she  called  "  her 
inner  tongue.  This  she  said  was  the  natural  lan- 
guage of  the  soul,  and  was  that  spoken  at  the  time 
of  Jacob."  * 

Mrs.  Kauffe  described  her  spirit  as  capable  of 
leaving  her  body,  and  moving  through  time  and 
space.  In  this  way,  she  occasionally  saw  her  own 
body,  while  out  of  it.  In  her  Memoir,  there  is  an 
elaborate  description  of  the  spheres  through  which 
she  passed  while  in  this  etherial,  spiritual  state. 

During  the  latter  part  of  her  life,  her  intercourse 
with  spirits  was  more  promiscuous  and  constant. 
They  appeared  to  her  at  all  times  of  the  day,  and 
under  all  circumstances.  She  saw  them  more  clear- 
ly by  a  good  light,  than  in  the  dark.  Their  appear- 
ance was  the  same  as  when  they  were  alive.  The 

*  So  Swedenborg  taught  that  spirits  have  a  language  peculiar 
to  themselves.  It  is  not,  however,  the  language  of  Jacob,  nor 
one  thai  "  was  ever  spoken  in  the  natural  woild."  Conj.  Love, 
§  326. 


THE   CASE   OK   M1IS.    K  A  U KEF. 


227 


spirits  of  wicked  persons  were  darker,  trod  more 
heavily,  and  made  more  noise,  than  those  of  the 
good.  The  latter  "had  long,  flowing,  shining  robes, 
with  a  girdle  round  the  waist,  and  they  appeared  to 
glide  or  float,  rather  than  to  walk."  Mrs.  Kauffe's 
spirits,  like  those  of  Swedenborg,  are  represented  as 
occupying  a  middle  region,  in  which  they  are  pre- 
paring for  a  higher  state  of  bliss ;  but  unlike  him, 
she  represents  it  as  possible  for  the  very  toorst  spi- 
rits —  even  those  of  murderers,  to  be  here  regener- 
ated. She  uniformly  taught  them  to  seek  forgive- 
ness in  prayer,  and  faith  in  the  Saviour ;  and  in  near- 
ly every  case,  she  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  them 
grow  gradually  brighter  under  her  tuition,  till  at 
length  they  soared  away  into  a  higher  state,  beyond 
her  sphere  of  spiritual  vision. 

The  external  evidence  of  Mrs.  Kauffe's  intercourse 
with  the  spiritual  world  (if  we  may  credit  her  phy- 
sician and  other  witnesses)  was  incomparably  supe- 
rior to  that  afforded  by  Swedenborg.  For  her  spi- 
rits made  all  sorts  of  noises,  opened  and  shut  doors 
and  books,  moved  articles,  &c,  all  which  things  were 
palpable  to  the  senses  of  spectators. 

Then  they  revealed  to  her  secrets,  and  gave  her  a 
knowledge  of  things  remotely  past,  and  far  distant, 
to  an  extent  which  puts  the  marvels  of  Swedenborg, 
quite  into  shade.  * 


*  The  following  is  the  title  of  Dr.  Kerner'3  Memoir.    "  The 


228 


SWEDEXBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


I  have  given  .1  longer  account  of  the  case  lierc  in- 
troduced than  I,  at  first,  intended  ;  but  perhaps  not 
longer  than  it  merits.  No  one  can  read  the  whole 
story  of  "the  Seeress  of  Prevorst "  without  being 
satisfied  that  she  was  a  poor,  shattered,  nervous, 
brain-sick  woman,  some  of  whose  fancies  are  amusing 
enough,  but  in  the  truth  of  which  no  person  ought 
to  place  the  slightest  confidence.  Yet  they  are  as 
well  attested,  every  way,  as  the  revelations  of  Swe- 
denborg.  The  evidence  in  support  of  them,  external 
and  internal,  is  as  great,  at  least,  as  that  which  is 
so  earnestly  pleaded  for  him. 

It  would  be  needless  to  multiply  accounts  of  such 
cases ;  they  are  frequently  described  in  papers  and 
books,  and  are  of  continual  occurrence  among  clair- 
voyants and  spiritualists,  at  the  present  day. 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  cases  of  this  kind, 
however  various  in  some  of  their  aspects,  are  subject, 
in  one  view,  to  the  same  general  law.  The  specters 
or  angels  which  any  one  sees  have  a  manifest  con- 
nection with  his  state  of  mind  at  the  time;  with  his 
habits  of  thought  and  feeling,  with  his  opinions, 
studies,  and  pursuits.  Indeed,  the  specters  which  he 
sees  may  be  said  to  grow  out  of  his  mental  states 
and  habits,  to  fall  in  with  them,  and  instead  of  adding 

Seeress  of  Prevorst,  being  Revelations  concerning  the  inner  Life 
of  Man,  and  the  Inter-diffusion  of  a  World  of  Spirits  in  the  one 
we  inhabit."  There  is  a  Review  of  the  Memoir  in  the  British 
Quarterly  Review  ;  also  in  the  American  Eclectic  Magazine  for 
Jan.  1846. 


OX  VISIOXS. 


229 


to  his  stock  of  real  knowledge,  serve  only  to  confirm 
him  in  what  he  was  before.  It  is  well  understood 
that  a  person's  dreams  have  an  intimate  connection 
with  his  existing  statu  of  mind  and  body.  I  suppose 
his  specters  (if  he  sees  any)  will  have  about  the 
same  connection. 

It  is  a  common  remark,  that  English  and  Ameri- 
can ghosts  are  almost  always  robed  in  white  ;  while 
Italian  ghosts  more  generally  appear  in  black,  and 
not  unfrequently  drag  a  chain.  This  is  owing,  un- 
doubtedly, to  the  impressions  prevailing  among  the 
people  of  these  countries  as  to  the  appropriate  figure 
and  costume  of  such  personages. 

Christians  commonly  think  of  angels  as  young  per- 
sons with  wings  ;  and  who  ever  saw  an  angel  appear 
in  any  other  form  or  shape  ?  Even  Swedenborg's 
angels  (or  some  of  them)  had  wings. 

When  a  Millerite  had  a  trance,  or  a  vision  of  an- 
gels, they  always  told  him  of  the  approaching  end 
of  the  world ;  and  until  the  set  time  had  passed, 
were  sure  to  point  him  to  1843.  And  so  of  other  re- 
ligionists who  are  in  the  habit  of  seeing  visions  ;  they 
only  learn,  as  a  general  thing,  from  the  other  world, 
to  be  more  than  ever  confirmed  in  their  several  pe- 
culiarities. 

Mary  Matthews,  a  pious,  nervous,  marvel-seeking 
and  wonder-believing  old  woman,  was  the  intimate 
friend  and  parishioner  of  the  late  excellent  Mr. 
Fletcher,  of  Madely.  When  her  pastor  died,  she 
was  a  sincere  mourner,  and  for  a  long  time  could 


230 


SWEDENBORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


think  of  little  else  in  heaven,  besides  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  Mr.  Fletcher.  Well,  at  length  she  had  a  vision 
of  heaven  ;  and  what  did  she  see  there ?  "Falling 
back  in  my  chair,  I  remembered  no  more  of  anything 
outward,  but  thought  I  was  at  the  threshold  of  a 
most  beautiful  place.  I  could  just  look  in.  The  first 
thing  I  saw  was  the  Lord  Jesus,  sitting  on  a  throne. 
There  was  a  beautiful  crown  over  his  head.  A  glo- 
rious light  appeared  on  one  side,  and  all  around 
him  was  glory.  Turning  my  eyes  a  little,  I  saw  close 
to  my  Saviour,  my  dear  minister,  Mr.  Fletcher.  He 
looked  continually  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  with  a  sweet 
smile.  But  he  had  a  very  different  appearance  from 
what  he  had  in  the  body,  and  yet  there  was  such  an 
exact  resemblance,  that  I  could  have  known  him 
among  a  thousand.  Features  and  limbs  just  the 
same,  but  not  of  flesh.  It  seemed  to  be  all  light ;  I 
never  saw  anything  like  it.  I  looked  on  him  a  long 
time,  and  saw  every  feature,  with  its  old  likeness. 
He  then  turned  hie  eyes  on  me,  and  held  out  his 
hands  to  me,  just  as  he  used  to  do.  I  seemed  to 
have  lost  my  old,  weak,  shaking  body.  I  seemed  to 
myself  as  if  I  could  have  gone  to  the  world's  end, 
as  light  as  air."  * 

The  celebrated  William  Tennent  once  had  a  trance, 
in  which  he  continued  for  several  days,  until  his 
friends  were  about  to  bury  him,  as  one  dead.  He 
seemed  to  himself  to  go  to  heaven ;  —  and  what  was 
the  kind  of  heaven  which  he  saw  ?    The  account  is 

*  In  Noble's  Appeal,  p.  316. 


OX  VISIONS. 


231 


too  long  to  be  inserted  here.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
it  was  just  such  a  heaven  as  an  ardent,  devoted,  or- 
thodox young  minister  might  be  expected  to  see ; 
not  differing  materially,  I  presume,  froni  the  truth ; 
though  I  ground  my  presumption  not  at  all  on  his 
testimony,  but  on  the  fact  that  his  account  agrees  so 
essentially  with  the  Bible. 

Nicolai  lived  in  a  great  city,  and  was  a  man  of 
business ;  and  owing  to  numberless  perplexities  in 
business,  his  brain  became  excited,  and  he  saw  spec- 
ters. And  how  does  he  describe  their  appearance  ? 
They  seemed  to  be  "  moving  as  in  a  market  place, 
where  all  are  eager  to  press  through  the  crowd.  At 
times,  however,  they  seemed  to  be  transacting  busi- 
ness with  each  other." 

Mrs.  Kauffe  early  received  the  impression  that  the 
unquiet  dead  —  those  who  cannot  rest  in  their  graves 
until  they  have  unburdened  themselves  to  the  living 
on  the  earth  —  are  such  as  hav^  committed  murders 
or  other  great  crimes,  have  conceal  ed  treasures,  &c. 
Consequently,  such  were  the  characters  of  the  spec- 
ters which  first  appeared  to  her,  and  which  remained 
the  longest  time  with  her. 

Some  years  ago,  Dr.  Hitchcock  of  Amherst 
College  had  a  fever,  which  did  not  deprive 
him  of  reason,  but  it  subjected  him  to  numberless 
optical  illusions.  I  do  not  recollect  that  he  saw  spec- 
ters, but  he  saw  almost  everything  else.  And  what  is 
specially  to  be  noted,  the  scenes,  the  appearances, 
the  objects  which  he  saw,  were  most  signally  coinci- 


232 


SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


dent  with  his  previous  studies,  theories,  habits,  pre- 
dilections, and  pursuits.  Indeed,  they  obviously 
grew  right  out  of  these,  as  any  one  may  perceive  by 
examining  the  account.  * 

But  I  need  not  adduce  further  examples  in  ilius 
tration  of  the  law  above  laid  down,  as  the  existence 
of  it  is  fully  conceded  by  Swedenborg  and  his  fol- 
lowers. In  assigning  reasons  why  frequent,  open 
Intercourse  with  spirits  is  not  desirable,  Swedenborg 
says,  "  The  spirits  which  attend  a  man  are  such  as 
are  in  agreement  with  his  affections  and  thoughts. 
Hence,  did  he  openly  converse  with  them,  they  would 
only  confirm  him  in  his  existing  state  of  mind,  and 
add  their  testimony  to  the  truth  of  all  his  falses,  and 
the  good  of  all  his  evils.  Enthusiasts  would  thus  be 
confirmed  in  their  enthusiasm,  and  fanatics  in  their 
fanaticism."  t 

Never,  probably,  did  Swedenborg  utter  a  greater 
truth  than  this,  or  one  of  a  more  important  practi- 
cal influence.  He  lays  down  the  law  of  specters 
and  apparitions,  with  perfect  accuracy  and  truth. 
The  only  difference  between  him  and  me,  relates  to 
the  nature  of  the  specters  in  question,  he  regarding 
them  as  real  beings,  and  I  as  imaginary.  But  whether 
real  or  imaginary,  we  are  agreed  as  to  the  law  ac- 
cording to  which  they  ordinarily  appear  ;  and  I  shall 
proceed  to  show  that  this  law  is  strictly  applicable 

*  la  the  New  Englandcr  for  April,  1815. 
t  In  Clissold's  Letter,  p.  197.    See  also  New  Jerusalem  Maga- 
zine, Vol.  19,  p.  25. 


SIMILAR  BELIEFS. 


'233 


to  Swedenborg's  own  case.  His  angels  and  spirits 
were  just  what  tee  might  expect  them  to  be,  consider- 
ing his  previous  studies,  habits,  opinions  and  charac- 
ter. As  Mr.  Emerson  says,  "his  interlocutors  ail 
SicedenborgizeP  They  fall  in  exactly  with  his  exist- 
ing feelings,  opinions,  and  trains  of  thought,  and  do 
little  more  than  confirm  him  in  what  he  had  before 
elaborated. 

For  example,  Swedenborg  was  a  learned  man  for 
his  time  —  especially  so  in  the  natural  sciences ;  and 
his  angels,  in  general,  are  learned  angels  —  very 
different  from  those  of  Jacob  Behmen,  or  of  Mrs. 
Kauffe.*  They  knew  just  as  much  as  he  did,  about 
anatomy,  physiology,  mineralogy,  astronomy,  and 
chemistry.  Where  his  knowledge  was  accurate,  so 
was  theirs;  and  where  he  blundered,  they  blundered 
also.  He  thought  that  Saturn  was  the  most  distant 
planet  from  the  sun ;  and  so  did  they.  He  thought 
that  love  was  the  cause  of  the  redness  of  the  blood, 
and  also  of  animal  heat;  and  so  did  they.  He  thought 
that  the  change  of  the  blood  in  the  lungs  was  effected 
by  inhaled  odors  :  and  so  did  they.  And  hence  the 
passion  of  his  celestials  for  sweet  odors,  and  of  his 
infernals  for  those  of  an  offensive  nature. 

Again,  the  subjects,  which  most  occupied  the 
thoughts  and  impressed  the  heart  of  Swedenborg, 
were  precisely  those  in  which  his  angels  felt  the 
deepest  interest.    For  example,  the  two  articles  of 

*  Mrs.  Kauffe's  angels  became  more  learned,  after  she  went  to 
M«ide  with  Dr.  Kerner. 


234  SWEDEXBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


the  Lutheran  creed,  at  which  he  took  the  greatest 
offence,  were  those  of  the  trinity,  and  justification 
hy  faith.  And  these,  with  proportionately  the  great- 
est frequency,  enter  into  the  discussions  of  his 
angels. 

The  same  principle  may  be  illustrated  by  a  more 
striking  example.  Swedenborg,  in  the  early  part  of 
his  life,  was  sorely,  incurably  disappointed  in  love. 
He  could  resign  the  beautiful  daughter  of  Polhem, 
but  he  could  not  forget  her.  Her  image  seems  to 
have  haunted  him,  as  long  as  he  lived.  *  He  thought 
a  great  deal,  undoubtedly,  of  conjugial  love ;  of  its 
sweetness  and  happiness,  especially  when  unalloyed, 
and  when  it  was  fully  and  mutually  gratified.  He 
could  conceive  of  no  enjoyment,  no  heaven,  to  be 
compared  to  this.  Accordingly  his  angels  are  the 
most  of  them  desperate  lovers.  With  them,  conju- 
gial love  is  the  love  of  all  loves,  and  the  delight  of 
all  delights.  They  can  think  and  talk  of  little  else, 
but  the  sweetness,  the  blessedness  of  conjugial  love. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  grave  and  learned  Sweden- 
borgians  have  often  been  puzzled  at  the  strange  and 
extravagant  manner  in  which  their  illustrious  teacher 
allows  himself  to  speak  on  this  subject.  I  have  not 
quoted  his  strongest  and  most  offensive  passages. 

*  In  his  old  age,  when  she  who  was  once  Emerentia  Polhem 
had  long  since  been  married,  had  had  a  family,  and  was  dead, 
Swedenborg  told  her  daughters,  who  came  to  see  him  in  his  gar- 
den, "  that  he  could  now  converse  with  their  departed  mother 
vhenever  he  pleased."    Hobart's  Life,  p.  103. 


WEAKNESS  OF  MIND. 


235 


There  are  some  which  can  be  regarded  in  no  other 
light,  than  as  the  ebullitions  of  a  love-sick  frenzy. 
But  on  the  theory  I  propose,  the  whole  matter 
is  easily  enough  accounted  for.  Swedenborg,  in  his 
youth,  was  a  love-sick  man ;  and  the  disease  contin- 
ued upon  him,  more  or  less,  to  the  end  of  life.  Con- 
sequently, his  spirits  and  angels  partook  of  the  same 
feeling.  And  they  talked,  and  reasoned,  and  laid 
down  propositions,  and  convened  councils  in  heaven 
to  consider  them ;  and  sometimes  they  became  so 
much  excited  that  they  could  not  reason,  but  rather 
ranted  forth  their  frenzy,  as  best  they  were  able. 
Dr.  Tafel,  a  learned  German  of  the  New  Church, 
expresses  the  opinion  that  Swedenborg's  love-sick- 
ness "  tended  gradually  to  prepare  him  for  his  great 
work."  I  have  no  doubt  it  did ;  though  in  a  very 
different  way  from  what  the  good  Doctor  seems  to 
suppose. 

It  must  be  further  evident  to  every  reader  of  Swe- 
denborg, that  he  had  adopted  nearly  all  the  pecu- 
liarities of  his  system,  before  what  he  calls  his  illu- 
mination ;  so  that  his  spirits  and  angels,  when  they 
came  upon  the  stage,  had  little  else  to  do,  but  to 
illustrate  and  enlarge  upon  his  existing  theories,  and 
confirm  him  the  more  strongly  in  the  belief  of  them. 
His  peculiar  notions  of  the  trinity,  and  of  justifica- 
tion were  probably  imbibed  in  early  life.  According 
to  his  own  account  of  the  matter,  he  used  to  dispute 
with  the  clergy  upon  these  and  other  theological 


236  SWEDEXBOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


point?,  almost  from  childhood.  *  In  his  work  on 
"the  Worship  and  Love  of  God,^  "written  before  his 
illumination,  his  theory  of  creation  is  unfolded,  just 
as  he  afterwards  received  it  from  the  angels.  The 
natural  earths  are  from  the  atmosphere  of  the  natural 
world, — which  is  from  the  atmosphere  of  the  spiritual 
sun, —  which  is  from  God.  It  is  certain,  also,  that  he 
had  adopted  his  whole  theory  of  correspondences,  and 
prepared  his  "Hieroglyphical  Key  to  Representatives 
and  Correspondences,"  some  considerable  time  before 
he  began  to  have  intercourse  with  the  sjiiritual  world. 
And  his  correspondences  enter  into  everything  which 
he  afterwards  wrote.  They  lie  at  the  foundation  of 
nearly  all  that  is  peculiar  in  his  system. 

The  case  in  regard  to  Swedenborg  may  therefore 
be  summed  up  as  follows  :  He  claimed  to  have  direct 
intercourse  with  the  other  world,  and  to  bring  us  new 
revelations  from  God.  This  claim,  for  various  rea- 
sons which  have  been  detailed  hi  the  foregoing  chap- 
ters, we  reject.  The  question  then  arises,  TVhat  are 
we  to  think  of  Swedenborg?  Did  he  design  to  im- 
pose upon  the  world,  or  not  ?  "Was  he  a  willful  im- 
postor, or  a  self-deluded  monomaniac?  The  latter 
is  the  more  charitable  supposition,  and  I  think  the 
more  reasonable  one.  It  is  that  which,  with  much 
confidence,  I  adopt.  In  support  of  it,  I  have  adduced 
Swedenborg's  own  published  account  of  the  change 
through  which  he  passed.    I  have  quoted  what  he 

*  Hobart's  Life,  p.  144. 


WEAKNESS  OF  MIND. 


237 


said  of  himself —  of  his  peculiar  feelings  and  his  ex- 
perience, afterwards.  I  have  shown  that  his  appear- 
ance and  habits  in  private  life  indicated  a  degree  of 
insanity;  and  that  this  was  the  opinion  generally 
formed  of  him  by  those  of  his  cotemporaries  Avho  did 
not  receive  his  doctrines. 

I  have  further  shown,  that  his  is  by  no  means  a 
peculiar  case.  Instances  are  frequently  occumng  of 
acknowledged  monomania  —  where  there  is,  obvi- 
ously, a  disturbed,  disordered  state  of  the  brain  and 
of  the  nervous  system  —  which,  in  greater  or  less 
degrees  (and  some  of  them  almost  precisely)  resem- 
ble his. 

I  have,  moreover,  pointed  out  what  may  be  re- 
garded as  a  law  of  spectral  appearances  in  such  cases, 
and  have  shown  that  it  is  strictly  applicable  to  the 
specters  of  Swedenborg.  They  as  naturally  grew 
out  of  his  habitual  states  of  thought  and  feeling,  as 
a  person's  dreams  ordinarily  arise  from  his  waking 
thoughts  and  habits,  and  from  his  intercourse  in 
life. 

To  my  own  mind,  therefore,  the  case  of  Sweden- 
borg is  a  clear  one  —  as  clear  as,  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  with  our  present  means  of  information, 
could  be  expected.  He  was  as  rational  as  ever,  on 
all  subjects  except  one  or  two  ;  and  when  these  were 
not  introduced  or  touched  upon,  he  wrote,  he  pub- 
lished, he  appeared  in  society,  much  as  usual.  But 
in  reference  to  these  subjects  —  I  mean  tho*e  per- 
taining to  his  revelations,  his  mind  was  disordered  ; 


238 


S  \V  K  DEN  liO  lUi  I A  N  ISM  EXAMINED. 


it  had  become  unbalanced  ;  and  he  was,  to  a  degree, 
insane.  There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  of  it. 
Still,  there  was  method,  even  in  his  insanity.  His 
specters  did  not  run  riot  with  him.  They  followed 
chiefly  in  the  train  of  his  natural  thoughts,  giving  a 
sort  of  personal  existence  and  reality  to  what  were 
before  the  theories,  the  abstractions,  the  mere  con- 
ceptions of  his  own  mind.  This  theory  harmonizes 
all  the  known  facts  in  the  case  of  Swedenborg ;  and 
to  my  apprehension  it  is  the  only  one  that  does.  I 
propose  it  therefore,  and  I  accept  it,  as  the  truth. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


CONCLUDING  OBSERVATIONS. 

My  object  in  preparing  this  work  is  now  in  great 
measure  accomplished.  I  have  presented  a  sketch 
of  Swedenborg's  life,  together  with  the  leading  prin- 
ciples of  his  religious  system.  I  have  urged  at  con- 
siderable length  my  objections  to  his  doctrines  and 
claims.  I  have  gone  into  a  consideration  of  the 
character  and  state  of  his  mind,  that  my  readers  may 
have  the  means  of  forming  an  intelligent  opinion  in 
regard  to  him. 

It  may  be  objected,  perhaps,  that  I  have  not  treated 
Swedenborg  fairly,  in  that  I  have  only  quoted  insu- 
lated passages,  and  these,  in  general,  not  his  best 
passages.  In  reply  I  admit  that  I  have  quoted  in- 
sulated passages.  I  could  not  reasonably  be  expected 
to  quote  whole  volumes.  But  my  readers  will  bear 
me  witness  that  the  passages  have  been  numerous, 
some  of  them  long;  and  they  have  all  been  presented 


240 


SWEDEXIiORGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


in  such  a  way  as  to  give  the  real  meaning  of  the 
author. 

And  if  I  have  not  quoted  the  best  passages  in 
Swedenborg,  so  neither  have  I  the  worst.  There 
are  passages  not  a  few  in  his  writings,  which  never 
can  be  quoted  by  any  decent  commentator.  Indeed, 
they  should  never  be  translated  into  English.  In 
translating  his  diary,  Prof.  Bush  found  passages  of 
"  so  gross  a  character,"  that  he  was  constrained  to 
omit  them.  * 

We  approve  his  discretion.  Well  had  it  been,  not 
only  for  the  honor  of  Swedenborg,  but  for  the  sensi- 
bilities of  readers,  if  previous  translators  had  been 
as  wise. 

It  may  be  thought  by  some,  that  I  have  misappre- 
hended the  meaning  of  Swedenborg,  and  conse- 
quently have  misrepresented  him.  To  this  I  can 
only  say  in  reply,  that  I  make  no  pretensions  to  a 
sixth  or  seventh  sense,  or  to  any  supernatural  insight 
into  things  darkly  and  dubiously  revealed.  I  claim 
only  the  ordinary  intelligence  of  a  man ;  and  if,  in 
the  exercise  of  this,  I  have  not  understood  the  wri- 
tings of  Swedenborg,  it  is  because  they  can  not  be 
understood  by  one  of  ordinary  capacities  and  pow- 
ers. I  have  read  nearly  all  Swedenborg's  theologi- 
cal writings  which  have  been  translated,  and  with 
the  deepest  attention  of  which  I  am  capable.  I  have 
read  the  remarks  and  comments  of  his  followers.  I 


*  See  Swed.  Library,  Part  ii.,  Vol.  iii.,  p.  9. 


THE  NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  241 

have  honestly  endeavored  to  understand  them ;  and 
I  do  understand  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  terms 
employed.  And  if  any  will  say,  after  all,  that  I  have 
misapprehended  them,  and  consequently  have  failed 
to  represent  them  fairly,  I  can  only  reply  that  they 
are  then  unintelligible.  And  this  is  reason  enough 
for  rejecting  them,  as  constituting  a  revelation  from 
God. 

It  follows  from  the  exhibition  which  has  been  made 
of  Swedenborgianism,  that  it  is  not  properly  Chris- 
tianity. Nor  can  it  be  regarded  as  a  sect,  a  form  of 
Christianity.  It  constitutes  a  different  system  of 
faith  and  worship.  It  constitutes,  in  fact,  a  different 
religion.  So  say  learned  Swedenborgians,  and  I  fully 
agree  with  them.  "  The  New  Jerusalem  Church," 
says  Mr.  Barrett,  "  is  not  to  be  considered  as  a  sect, 
or  as  one  of  the  numerous  progeny  of  the  old  church. 
It  is  a  church  formed  and  existing  under  a  new  dis- 
pensation, which  is  altogether  distinct  from  every 
former  dispensation.  It  claims  no  nearer  relation- 
ship to  any  of  the  numerous  sects  in  Christendom, 
than  the  first  Christian  church  claimed  to  any  of  the 
Jewish  sects."  *  If  Christianity  is  not  Judaism,  nor 
J udaism  Christianity ;  no  more,  according  to  Mr. 
Barrett,  is  Swedenborgianism  Christianity. 

That  the  system  of  Swedenborg  is  not  properly 
Christianity,  will  appear  from  the  following  consid- 
erations : 


Lectures,  p.  152. 

16 


242  SWEDENBOEGIAJSTlSai  EXAMINED. 

1.  The  Swedenborgian  does  not  worship  the  same 
God  as  the  Christian,  nor  in  the  same  manner.  The 
Christian's  God  exists  in  a  three-fold  distinction  of 
persons,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  The  Sweden- 
borgian's  God  exists  in  one  person  only,  and  in  a 
human  form.  The  Christian's  worship  is  to  the 
Father,  through  the  Son,  and  by  the  Spirit.  (Eph. 
ii.  18.)  He  is  sjjecially  instructed  to  present  his  pray- 
ers in  the  name  of  Christ.  But  to  such  a  mode  of 
worshiping  the  Supreme  Being,  both  the  Sweden- 
borgian's  creed,  and  his  practice,  are  alike  strangers. 

2.  The  Swedenborgian  has  not  the  same  Bible  as 
the  Christian.  The  Christian's  Bible  consists  of  sixty- 
six  canonical  books,  interpreted  after  the  ordinary, 
standard  rules  of  exegesis.  The  Swedenborgian's 
Bible  consists  of  but  about  half  this  number  of  in- 
spired books,  and  these  to  be  interpreted  in  an  en- 
tirely different  way.  He  also  regards  the  theological 
writings  of  Swedenborg,  amounting  to  some  forty  or 
fifty  volumes,  as  possessing  a  sort  of  divine  author- 
ity, —  as  being,  in  fact,  revelations  from  God. 

3.  The  Swedenborgian  has  not  the  same  founda- 
tion of  hope,  or  method  of  salvation,  as  the  Chris- 
tian. The  Christian  builds  all  his  hope  on  the  atone- 
ment of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  the  Sweden- 
borgian rejects.  The  Christian  receives  pardon  and 
justification  by  faith  alone ;  whereas  the  Sweden- 
borgian expects  to  be  justified  in  some  other  way. 

4.  The  Swedenborgian  has  not  the  same  standard 
of  piety,  or  rules  of  morality,  as  the  Christian.  After 


INTERMEDIATE  STATE. 


243 


what  was  said  above,  (chap,  x.)  this  point  needs  no 
further  illustration. 

5.  The  future  state,  as  exhibited  in  the  Sweden- 
borgian  theology,  is  entirely  different  from  that  of 
the  Christian.  Of  Swedenborg's  world  of  spirits,  01 
intermediate  state,  the  Christian  Scriptures  know 
absolutely  nothing  ;  while  the  doctrines  of  the 
resurrection,  the  general  judgment,  and  the  end  of 
the  world,  of  which  the  Scriptures  so  clearly  inform 
us,  Swedenborg  utterly  discards.  And  then  his 
heaven  and  his  hell,  the  final  abodes  of  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked,  are  less  in  accordance  with  the 
Christian  revelation,  than  they  are  with  the  absurd 
fancies  of  the  Koran. 

Without  pursuing  the  contrast  of  these  two  sys- 
tems further,  it  is  perfectly  obvious  that  between  the 
Christian  church,  and  what  is  commonly  called  the 
New  church,  there  is,  and  there  can  be,  no  proper 
Christian  fellowship.  The  members  of  these  churches 
hold  so  little  in  common,  while  their  views  are  so 
utterly  diverse  and  repugnant  on  all  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  religion,  that  there  really  is  no  room  for 
Christian  fellowship  remaining.  I  can  respect  my 
Swedenborgian  neighbor  as  a  citizen  and  a  man ;  I 
can  perform  for  him  every  kind  and  friendly  office ; 
I  can  accord  to  him  all  his  civil  and  social  rights,  and 
seek  his  good  for  time  and  eternity  ;  but  when  asked 
to  extend  to  him,  or  to  his  church,  the  right  hand  of 
Christian  fellowship,  I  must,  in  all  consistency,  de- 
cline.   And  he  must  pursue  the  same  course  in  re- 


244  SWEDENBOUGIANISH  EXAMINED. 


gard  to  me.    He  can  no  more  receive  me  to  fellow- 
ship, than  I  him. 

I  know  that  some  Swedenborgian  ministers  in 
England  have  retained  their  livings,  and  received 
their  salaries  in  the  established  church ;  and  that 
there  are  Swedenborgians,  here  and  there,  still  con- 
nected with  our  churches ;  but  I  am  unable  to  see 
the  consistency  of  such  connections ;  and  Sweden- 
borg  abjures  them  even  more  strongly  than  I  do. 
"The  faith  of  the  New  Church,"  says  he,  "cannot  by 
any  means  be  together  with  the  faith  of  the  former 
church ;  and  in  case  they  be  together,  such  a  collision 
and  conflict  will  ensue,  as  to  destroy  every  thing  re- 
lating to  the  church  in  man."    The  reason  he  assigns 
for  this  is,  that  the  two  churches  "  do  not  agree  in 
one  third,  no,  nor  even  in  one  tenth  part."  *    So  Mr. 
S.  "Worcester  says,  the  members  of  the  New  church 
"  can  not  regard  the  old  church  and  the  world,  as 
holding  the  doctrines  of  the  true  Christian  religion, 
and  can  not  with  propriety  recognize  any  communion 
of  belief,  except  so  far  as  the  common  false  doctrines 
are  rejected,  and  those  of  the  New  church  are  re- 
ceived." t 

In  representing,  however,  as  I  have  felt  constrained 
to  do,  that  Swedenborgianism  is  not  Christianity, 
and  that  between  those  holding  the  two  systems  there 

*  Brief  Exposition,  &c,  §§  102,  103.  Yet  Swedenborg  never 
formally  separated  himself  from  the  Lutheran  church,  but  received 
the  sacrament  from  one  of  its  ministers  on  his  death-bed. 

t  Remarks  on  two  Pamphlets,  Sc.,  p.  25. 


SWEDENBORGIANISM  NOT  CHRISTIANITY. 


245 


can  be  no  proper  christian  fellowship,  I  must  not  be 
understood  as  saying  that  no  professed  Swedenbor- 
gian  can  be  a  Christian.  I  am  under  no  necessity 
of  drawing  such  a  conclusion  as  this.  People  some- 
times are  much  better  than  their  religioiis  systems ; 
sometimes  they  are  worse.  I  may  decide  against 
what  seems  to  me  a  system  of  error  and  delusion, 
without  passing  judgment  on  the  characters  of  indi- 
viduals who  profess  to  have  embraced  it.  I  trust 
there  are  true  Christians  in  what  is  called  the  New 
church.  I  hope  there  are  many  such.  But  for 
myself,  I  do  not  see  how  they  can  long  live  and  thrive 
there  as  Christians,  where  the  appropriate  food,  the 
nutriment  of  Christian  piety  is  so  esssentially  want- 
ing. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  How  shall  it  be  ac- 
counted for  that  so  many  intelligent  and  sensible 
persons  fall  into  the  errors  and  absurdities  of  Swe- 
denborg?  For  if  his  mind  was,  to  some  extent,  dis- 
eased and  deranged,  theirs  are  not.  If  he  had  par- 
tially lost  his  reason,  they  retain  theirs.  And  how 
is  it  that  such  persons  adopt  his  strange,  incoherent 
notions,  and  become  his  followers  ?  In  replying  to 
these  questions,  I  must  be  permitted  to  ask  several 
others.  How  can  it  be  accounted  for  that  the  great 
and  learned  Tertullian,  in  the  second  century,  should 
have  become  a  Montanist,  and  should  really  have 
believed  that  the  crazy  Montanus  was  the  Paraclete 
from  heaven  ?  How  can  it  be  accounted  for  that  the 
acute  and  eloquent  Augustine  should  have  been  for 


246  SWEDENBOKGIANISM  EXAMINED. 

years  a  Manichsean?  How  can  it  be  accounted  for 
that  Anna  Lee  should  have  collected  so  many  fol- 
lowers, and  established  so  extensively  her  shaking 
communities,  some  of  which  continue  to  the  present 
time  ?  How  can  it  be  accounted  for  that  the  Mor- 
mon leaders  should  have  made  fools  of  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  intelligent  men  and  women,  niched 
from  them  their  property,  and  acquired  such  an  un- 
bounded influence  over  them  ?  The  truth  is,  that 
man  is  naturally  a  religious  being.  He  must  and  he 
will  have  some  kind  of  religion.  And  when  he  de- 
parts from  the  plain  standard  of  the  Bible,  there  is 
no  accounting  for  his  vagaries.  There  is  no  telling 
into  what  extravagances  he  may  be  left  to  fall. 

It  is  also  true,  that  some  persons  are  more  exposed, 
constitutionally,  to  extravagances  of  this  kind,  than 
others.  They  are  not  satisfied  to  walk  in  a  plain, 
beaten  path.  They  crave  something  new.  They 
are  fond  of  the  marvelous,  more  especially  so  in 
matters  of  religion.  And  the  more  strange  and  in- 
credible the  disclosures  of  any  pretender  are,  the 
more  Ukely  will  he  be  to  gain  followers  from  this 
class. 

Some  special  reasons  may  be  assigned  why  Swe- 
denborg  has  obtained  followers,  and  these  too,  in 
some  instances,  from  the  more  intelligent  classes  of 
society.  In  the  first  place,  his  religion  may  be  called 
a  poetical  religion.  He  had  himself  a  lively,  inven- 
tive imagination ;  and  as  reason  faltered  under  the 
pressure  of  mental  disease,  his  fancy  became  more 


FASCINATIONS  OF  SWDENBOKGIANTSM.  247 

than  ever  the  predominant  faculty.  His  numberless 
analogies  and  correspondences  are  almost  all  fanciful ; 
and  they  afford  abundant  scope  for  the  dreams  and 
the  reveries  of  his  followers.  And  then  this  ming- 
ling up  of  the  spiritual  world  with  the  natural  —  this 
perpetual  intercourse  with  invisible  beings,  our  de- 
parted friends  among  the  rest  —  the  thought,  too, 
that  we  are  ourselves  about  to  become  angels,  and 
may  almost  become  such  while  in  the  body  ;  —  all 
this  is  exceedingly  fascinating  to  a  certain  class  of 
minds.  Their  fancies  dwell  upon  it,  and  revel  in  it ; 
they  drink  it  in,  and  enjoy  it,  and  call  it  religion ; 
not  stopping  to  inquire  whether  it  is  any  better  than 
the  religion  of  a  dream. 

Another  thing  which  recommends  Swedenborgian- 
ism  to  not  a  few,  is  its  utter  rejection  of  offensive 
gospel  doctrines.  Some  are  dissatisfied  with  the 
Christian  doctrine  of  the  trinity ;  and  still  they  do 
not  wish  to  become  Unitarians,  in  the  more  common 
acceptation  of  the  term.  And  so  they  adopt  the 
Swedenborgian  theory  on  the  subject,  which  they 
think  removes  all  difficulties,  and  makes  the  matter 
perfectly  plain.  Others  are  unwilling  to  renounce 
their  own  righteousness  as  a  foundation  of  hope,  put 
their  trust  in  the  Saviour,  and  receive  salvation  as 
the  gift  of  his  grace  ;  and  so  they  embrace  a  religion 
which  sets  aside  the  atonement  and  righteousness 
of  Christ,  and  encourages  them  to  seek  for  heaven 
in  some  other  way.  Others  still  are  offended  with 
the  Bibl»doctrine  of  future  punishment  —  with  the 


248  SWEDENBOEGIAXISM  EXAMINED. 


nature  and  grounds  of  it,  as  well  as  its  duration  ;  and 
so  they  flee  to  a  religion,  which  assures  them  that 
"  God  casts  no  one  down  to  hell,  but  the  spirit  casts 
himself  down  ; "  that  the  very  devils  are  "  the  ob- 
jects of  infinite  mercy,"  and  are  "  made  as  happy  as 
they  can  be,"  consistently  with  their  characters. 

Then  it  is  to  be  considered,  that  the  religion  of 
Swedenborg  is  a  very  easy  religion,  with  regard  to 
its  acquirements  and  restraints.  "  It  is  not  so  diffi- 
cult," says  he,  "  to  live  the  life  that  leads  to  heaven, 
as  some  people  suppose."  "The  Scriptures,"  says 
Mr.  Noble,  "  never  represent  the  life  that  leads  to 
heaven  as  a  thing  of  great  difficulty."  Gross  immor- 
alities, of  most  kinds,  are  indeed  condemned,  and 
persons  are  required  to  "  avoid  evils  as  sins."  But 
the  question  arises,  What  are  evils  ?  Not  fashion- 
able diversions  and  amusements,  such  as  "  convivial- 
ities, feasts,  entertainments,  and  all  kinds  of  merry 
makings  ;  cards,  dice,  billiards,  dancing  parties,"  &c. 
Not  conformity  to  the  world,  and  "the  concupiscences 
of  the  body  and  the  flesh."  These  are  rather  encour- 
aged, than  otherwise.  They  are  recommended,  and 
not  forbidden.  But  to  "  walk  continually  in  pious 
meditation  about  God,  salvation,  and  eternal  life  "  — 
to  spend  one's  days  "in  prayer,  in  reading  the  word, 
and  other  pious  books  "  —  this  is  "  to  procure  a  sor- 
rowful life,  which  is  not  receptible  of  heavenly  joy." 
Now  it  is  not  strange  that  a  religion  such  as  tins 
should  be  highly  pleasing  to  a  large  class  in  society. 
It  is  not  strange  that  numbers,  who  wish  to^have  the 


IMPOSING  TITLES  OF  SWEDENBORGIANISM.  249 

credit  and  the  comfort  of  a  religion,  without  its  re- 
straints, should  stand  ready  to  embrace  it. 

Especially  is  this  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  the 
religion  of  their  choice  comes  recommended  to  them 
under  the  imposing  title  of  "the  New  Jerusalem, 
descending  out  of  heaven  from  God "  —  a  "  new 
church  "  —  "  the  crown  of  all  churches  "  —  built  on 
the  ruins  of  the  proper  christian  church,  and  as  much 
superior  to  it  in  light  and  privileges,  as  that  was  su- 
perior to  the  Jewish.  Here  are  individuals  who, 
only  a  few  days  ago,  had  no  thought  that  they  be- 
longed to  any  church,  or  that  they  possessed  any  re- 
ligion. They  made  no  pretensions  to  it,  and  some- 
times felt  a  painful  sense  of  their  need  of  it.  But 
now,  without  any  change  of  character  or  pursuit,  or 
so  much  as  the  requisition  of  any,  by  merely  adopt- 
ing the  Swedenborgian  peculiarities,  they  find  them- 
selves suddenly  and  marvelously  exalted.  They 
are  in  a  church,  which  is  above  aU  churches  ;  and  are 
in  possession  of  a  religion  which  as  much  transcends 
the  old  fashioned,  God-seeking  religion  of  christians, 
as  theirs  does  the  twilight  and  shadows  of  Judaism. 
No  wonder  that  such  persons  become  giddy,  at  times, 
with  their  fancied  elevation,  and  are  captivated  with 
a  religion  which  they  think  has  done  so  much  for 
them. 

I  might  add,  in  this  connection,  that  not  a  few  pro- 
fess the  religion  of  Swedenborg,  while  they  are  in 
comparative  ignorance  of  its  doctrines.  They  have 
caught  some  single  feature  of  the  system,  with  which 


250  SWEDENBORGIANISM  EXAMINED. 


they  are  gratified ;  they  have  read,  it  may  be,  a  few 
selected  tracts  ;  and  they  swallow  down  the  whole 
without  any  further  scruple.  Most  heartily  do  I  wish 
that  the  entire  works  of  Swedenborg  were  put  into 
the  hands  of  such  persons,  and  that  they  were  doomed 
to  read  them  through.  I  can  think  of  no  more  effec- 
tual method  of  dispelling  the  delusion,  and  reclaim- 
ing them  to  the  paths  of  soberness  and  truth. 

But  I  must  not  enlarge.  Let  all  Avho  read  these 
pages  be  thankful  for  the  Bible,  —  the  whole  Bible,  — 
that  "sure  word  of  prophecy  whereunto  we  do  well 
to  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in 
our  hearts."  Let  us  love  the  Bible  more  than  we 
have  ever  done.  Let  us  study  it  with  greater  dili- 
gence and  fidelity.  Let  us  interpret  it  with  fairness 
and  honesty.  Let  us  steadfastly  cling  to  it,  —  and 
cling  to  it  all.  There  are  wandering  meteors  all 
about  us ;  and  we  need  a  pole-star,  —  need  a  Sun. 
God,  in  his  great  mercy,  has  condescended  to  give 
us  one.  Let  us  not,  then,  turn  away  from  it  in  pride 
and  scorn,  and  plunge  into  the  blackness  of  darkness 
forever. 


Date  Due 


